


Thursday Night Safe Space

by MagentasNightmare



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: AU, Also a love story, Alternate Universe, Caryl, Class demos of sexual acts, DON'T LIKE - DON'T READ (I'm not changing what I write for anyone:), Daryl Dixon/Carol Peletier Smut, Daryl and Carol romance, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Kink, Merle and Andrea SMUT, Merle is a SEX GOD!!!!, Overcoming sexual trauma, Restraint, Sexual Trauma, blindfolding, sex therapy, sexual massage, very detailed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-03-03
Packaged: 2018-05-21 01:53:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 39,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6033694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagentasNightmare/pseuds/MagentasNightmare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Andrea is married to Merle and she is a passionate sex therapist. She wants to help her best friend Carol over come the after effects of a bad relationship so she can have a fulfilling sex life and find love. This is a Caryl story</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_**OK, my babies. This story is odd. I read an article recently about classes that help people with different types of sexual issues or just for different ideas etc. In some of these classes they have live demonstrations of different techniques and positions...so naturally, I thought it would make for a good story;) lol** _

_**The first chapter of this story is set up of this situation. Andrea and Merle are the characters introduced in this chapter, but this is a Caryl story, I just needed a full chapter to set up the premise. Merle and Andrea have a nontypical marriage, and they are loosely based on a real couple I read about. I did A LOT of research for this, and to the best of my knowledge, the information included is correct. There is a sex class, so there are factoids and information as the class is happening. I learned a lot O_o** _

_**I just felt compelled to write this, and I hope you find it enjoyable, it's VERY frank and unusual, but I loved writing it. If this doesn't sound up your alley, just don't say I didn't warn you, OK?** _

_**There is all manner of sexual content in this story including information, demonstration, talk of sexual dysfunction, brief mention of aggressive (unpleasant sex) and SMUT.** _

_**If I haven't talked you out of it yet, Enjoy!** _

_**Love you, Teagan. XOXO** _

**^LESSON ONE**

"Are you ready?" Andrea hollered from the door.

They were running late, and this was the second to last class she had with this group. Merle was definitely needed for this class, the other men she had for demos didn't work as well with Carmen.

She had a regular group of people who were willing participants in her classes for adults. Demonstrations were very helpful to get people out of their comfort zones and visualize what she was trying to teach them.

Andrea had been a sex therapist for 6 years and felt she was making a difference for a lot of people who came to see her. Some people saw what she did as salacious but that, in her mind, was the problem in the first place. Sex shouldn't be something taboo, most people have sex, and almost everyone could use advice on intimacy.

Not being able to connect with a partner was not something she thought anyone should have to just deal with.

"Merle!"

She sighed heavily as he came down the stairs, pulling on his coat.

"We're gonna be late, Merle. Get your butt in gear!"

"It's Carmen we're talkin' about here, she'll just start without me," he laughed.

He wasn't wrong. Carmen was one of the women who worked with her from the adult film industry. She was a little unbalanced with a crazy life. Both Merle and Andrea liked her, but she was a bit much for everyone else. Carmen had no filter and told you just what she thought, but she was a good person.

The class they were working on was about intimate touch, and the class was mainly couples who wanted to add more emotional elements to their relationship.

After 4 years working with groups like this Andrea felt very fulfilled. Having her husband involved was not something her family understood, but she was comfortable with it right from the start. Merle was her man and only hers; she had no insecurities. Also watching him do what he did best always led to great sex afterward.

They arrived late to the adult movie store where the classes were held and ran up to the loft above the store to her studio. It was a great location to lease since her class participants often stopped by downstairs after class.

"Sorry, we're late," she apologized. "This guy right here made me rush again."

She handed out the final booklet for the class for them to look over before she began.

In this class, she had three couples, and they had all spoken to her individually about feeling a greater sense of intimacy and closeness with their partners which made her very proud. She had gone to school for years to help all kinds of people with emotional and physical sexual problems. Sexual abuse survivors had a class tailored to their needs, so did the men who struggled with erectile dysfunction. She taught classes on intimacy after mastectomy as well, nothing was missed.

It was her mission for everyone to feel comfortable in their skin and with their partner and she was excited by her work. Having a partner like Merle to help her with it was perfect because he was very sexual but also very respectful. She loved that she could trust him to touch other women and not worry about him straying.

"So in this class, we're going to cover intimate touch and trust. Last time we showed you some massage techniques that can be used to help relax your partner and get them comfortable with touch and more able to trust you with their bodies. Any questions?"

"Yes?"

"My computer wouldn't open that link you gave us last week. What did I miss?" a woman in the class asked.

"It was a video about the history of massage in different cultures and the psychological response to physical contact. I'll send you a different link that might work. Where's Carmen?"

"She's in the bathroom," one of the students answered.

"OK, that's fine. So we talked last week about the tantric yoni massage which translates from Sanskrit to what in English?"

The class was silent.

"Come on, guys! Yoni translates to 'sacred space' or 'sacred temple.' This is a form of intimate touch that is solely focused on the woman and is meant to work in conjunction with the meditation we already covered. Once you and your partner feel comfortable it's a great way to connect emotionally, and it's meant to take hours, but for our purposes, we'll only go over the basics."

Carmen finally showed herself and came to sit on the mat on the floor.

"Hey, Merle," she said, casually.

"Hey," he answered.

"Alright, go ahead and start whenever you're ready."

Carmen lay back on the mat and pulled her hair out of the bun it was in. Her wild curls spilled all over the pillow, and she closed her eyes, looking relaxed already.

"So this all begins with a massage of the body, everywhere but the yoni. And where is the yoni, David?"

"Uh...her...the..."

"That's right, her vulva, very good!" she grinned.

It was astounding how many men couldn't say these words, even after weeks of her class.

Merle began by covering his hands in raw coconut oil and rubbing up and down Carmen's legs with both hands. She was wearing a loose sarong and was now looking up at the ceiling like it was nothing. Merle had done this class more than once, and although he definitely liked it, he was a faithful man. Andrea trusted him completely, and she had nothing to worry about, he loved that she helped people. He was a different person when they met, and she had helped him to become the man he was now.

His hands moved over Carmen's skin, and he stayed focused on her legs as she closed her eyes and breathed slow and deep.

Carmen performed in the most 'experimental' porn around, so this was a walk in the park, and she said if it paid more she'd do it full time. She and Merle did this routine every few months, and he was the best around. For all the fake orgasms she had to pull off at her day job, this one was always real.

His hands moved up over her belly and then her arms and neck. It was slow and controlled and involved warm oil. She untied the sarong and lay bare to him and the rest of the class. This was the most calm, enjoyable thing she did naked in front of people; she loved it.

"The focus of this is to pay attention to what your partner likes. If they speak then listen but learning to read body language is important. Communication is key. Everything is covered in your booklet so just note the way he touches her. There is nothing dominant in this kind of touch; it's only purpose is to please her and nothing is expected in return."

After covering her body in oil and massaging every inch of her skin, he moved on to her more intimate areas as the class watched, wide-eyed and shifting.

Merle's hands were slick and moved over her skin slow and controlled, and she started to breathe slower and deeper. His fingers slid from her belly down to her pussy and then repeated the motion over and over. She started to squirm, pulling her legs open wider.

"An important thing to remember is that the clitoris had 8000 sensory nerve endings while the penis only has about 4000. There is a lot of potential to please your partner if you take the time and respect their boundaries. When your woman is comfortable with this kind of touch, there's really nothing you can't give her."

Merle drifted his fingertips over her clit and then down either side of her vagina and Carmen groaned desperately.

Merle liked Carmen as a good friend but this was all for the students, he was just doing a job. A hell of a good job, but a job just the same.

"The part of the clitoris that is visible is only the tip of the iceberg, and the rest of it lies under the skin where Merle's fingers are moving as you'll see."

Every person in the room was flushed and dead silent.

Merle moved on to use his fingers inside her, and she came undone in no time right there before their eyes.

"If you are able to trust your partner to see your body, there's really no end to how it can bring you closer, but trust is earned and broken easily. If a man or woman says no to something, that is the end of the discussion. Sex cannot exist without consent."

The class wrapped up and with only one more class left Andrea was already planning her next mission to bring healthy sexuality to more people.

Andrea and Merle went for a drink with Carmen and caught up on how her life was going. She had a new boyfriend who was supposedly accepting of her work and was treating her well. They both hoped he'd be a decent one for a change but her life was often volatile and her choice in men, highly questionable.

"I wish I could employ you more regularly," Andrea sighed.

"It's cool. This is such a nice break from my normal work. He's the only one who actually gets me off," she shrugged.

Merle acted a little smug, pretended to blow dust from his fingertips.

"Don't get cocky, boy!" Andrea laughed. "I'm the one who taught you all that, don't forget."

Merle and Andrea made it home that night in time for a quick shower together. Merle couldn't wait to get his hands on the body he really wanted to touch.

"How did I do tonight?" he grinned, pulling her towel off and tossing it across the room.

"You always do it perfect. I didn't hear her complaining," she laughed.

She pushed him onto the bed and climbed onto his lap. She ground herself down on him and moaned. Watching him do his thing in class always left her desperate to get him home and he knew it. He kissed down her body and gave her the same treatment Carmen had gotten but the full body and complete one-hour version this time. This is the one that he really meant. The words, the kissing, and the passion were all there where it wasn't in class. He ran his hands over her body with the intention to make her feel his love all over.

Nothing but soft candlelight and music and the two of them in the whole universe mattered. They had such a powerful sexual and emotional connection that helping others find it too was important to them.

They worked on it and would strive to stay connected and in tune with each other. For Merle, a woman like Andrea was a gift. She made him feel sexy, masculine and wanted. She admired his abilities in the bedroom and trusted him to share it with others; she was the best thing he'd ever had in his life.

By the time they were both pleased it was well past midnight, they never rushed it.

"I'm meeting Carol for breakfast in the morning; I need to get some sleep."

"Goodnight, baby. Love you," he said, pulling her in close to his body and smothering her in warmth.

"Love you too."

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**^LESSON TWO**

"Hey, Merle. Is Andrea ready to go?"

"Yeah, come in for a minute. She's just getting her papers ready for the last class."

"Ah...the big one, hey?"

"Nope. It's not that class."

"I can't keep you weirdos straight," Carol laughed. Merle and Andrea were her best friends, but nothing about their lifestyle made sense to her.

She loved them both and respected their choices, but it was beyond her how Andrea let him mess with other women.

Sometimes she found it easier to talk to Merle about personal things like men. Andrea was wonderful but had so much education on the subject that it was almost hard to open up about it. Merle was often her 'go to' guy for girl talk.

"Hey, Carol. You ready? I'm starving."

"Yeah, let's go. You coming, Merle?" Carol asked.

"Nah, I got work but thanks."

They got to their favorite place for brunch and Andrea was eager to hear all about the new guy she'd been out with.

"Well?"

"Do not even ask," Carol said, stopping it right there.

She ordered her omelet and picked assorted fruit from the cart to put on her plate.

"That good, huh?" Andrea sighed. Carol was having no luck with men since her divorce and Andrea didn't know how to tell her it might have to do with her just a little.

"He tried to get in my pants on the third date."

"Oh...I see..." Andrea didn't know what to say, it didn't sound that unreasonable to her, but they were very different people.

"What? You think I'm a prude or something?"

"No. It's totally up to you when that happens. If you aren't into it, then you shouldn't do it."

"I just don't feel comfortable. It feels like everything just moves so fast, and I'll end up with another man who's no good for me."

"It takes the time it takes, right? You'll find the right guy in time."

"I sure hope so. How was class last night?"

"Great! Just about done with this one and Merle and Carmen are always nice to work with."

Carol chuckled and shook her head.

"You still don't get that do you?" Andrea asked with a grin.

"Nope, but he's your man so..."

Carol couldn't wrap her mind around it and never thought she would.

"I've been playing with an idea to run a class for people who are...shy," Andrea announced carefully.

"Andrea, I hate to burst your bubble, but shy people don't go to sex class."

"I know, but I think they could be the ones to benefit the most. I need people who aren't so experienced to demonstrate though."

"Why?" Carol asked, biting into a piece of pineapple.

"Merle and Carmen are so casual about everything, and I don't think the students can relate. I think they need to see people who are more...shy. I want to bring in people who would never take this kind of class."

"Good luck with that. How much are you going to pay shy people to screw around in front of a group?" Carol giggled.

"The standard amount, plus free therapy?" Andrea laughed.

"Well, like I said, good luck with that."

"You'd never do it?" Andrea asked. She always wanted to approach Carol about her discomfort with men and offer some help. She was getting tired of pretending Carol didn't have some issues when she knew she could help.

"What are you trying to say?" Carol asked, putting her fork down on her plate.

"Nothing, I'm sorry. I just thought maybe you might...never mind. I guess it's an occupational hazard of mine trying to involve everyone in my work."

"You do think I'm a prude, don't you?"

"No, of course not. I just thought it might be fun to work with you."

"Stop giving me bullshit, Andrea. Tell me the truth."

Andrea winced and wondered how to word it.

"Well, when you said the other week that you and Ed never did it with the lights on and he never went down on you I thought it was a little...odd."

"Now I get it; you pity me."

"No, Carol. I'm sorry, I just think you deserve better. You're a beautiful woman, and I'd like to see you happy."

Carol knew she meant well and decided to stop being offended. Andrea was a true friend, and those were rare.

"I know...I get it."

"I'm not trying to insult you. I'm just trying to help, but not everyone wants my help, I realize that."

"Not everyone is like you and Merle, Andrea. Some people are just more reserved."

"I know. Merle says his brother Daryl is more like you."

"Merle's brother? I have a hard time believing that."

"Why?"

"Merle is a mechanic who gets porn stars off in his spare time."

"Hey, we only have 2 adult actresses, and they are the best we have. What he does actually helps a lot of people."

"Uh huh..." Carol grinned, skeptically.

"Seriously, you should come to my last class and hear people talk about it."

"I don't know about that."

"I'd really like it if you'd come, we've been friends a long time, and you've never been to one of my classes."

Carol felt bad that she'd never even been willing to see what Andrea did, her work was a huge part of who she was. She had been asked multiple times to go to some classes that had no nudity but had never accepted the invitation.

"I'll come," she relented.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. Merle isn't going to be naked is he?"

"Nope. No nudity for the last class, promise."

"I'll be there then, OK?"

"That's awesome; I'm so excited for you to see what we do."

##########################

Carol sat, a week from that day at Andrea's last class and listened to the sharing portion especially. Each person got up and discussed what they had learned, how much more free they felt and how the class had saved their relationships. Merle and Andrea hugged every participant, and Carmen shook everyone's hand. They all looked sad that it was over and asked when her next class would be starting. Carol started to see that this was more than just kinky nonsense.

She still felt unsure of it all. Her marriage had been full of sex in the dark that didn't feel good. She and Ed never had sex that felt good like other people spoke about.

Other women described feelings of wild, passionate, full body bliss and she knew nothing of this.

Her ex-husband had never seen her naked in the full light of day.

The class bothered her in the sense that she felt abnormal and dysfunctional, it shined a bright light on her issues. Carol hated to feel that she was 30 and not a normal, sexually functioning woman.

They ended up back at Andrea and Merle's house after the class and Carol felt weird.

"I'm just going to change, be back in a minute," Andrea said, heading up the stairs.

Carol looked over at Merle who was pouring a beer into a glass.

"Merle? Can I ask you something?"

"Go for it, honey."

"When you do these things in her class...aren't you ever uncomfortable?"

"Nope."

"How can you say that? Strangers see you naked, and you never feel shy?"

"Not at all. You know why?"

"I have no idea," she laughed.

"I ain't got nothing any other man doesn't have, and sex is normal, so it doesn't bother me at all. I'm pretty sure everyone in that class has seen a dick before and anyway people have a better life when they leave at the end. It's a good thing."

Carol knew damn well he was right.

"Do you think I'm screwed up?" she asked, leaning on his shoulder.

"No, based on how things were with Ed it makes sense. Your issues with sex can be overcome though, no problem."

"I'm sure you think it's so easy," Carol grinned.

"I know it can be. I've seen it happen a lot in Andrea's class. It just takes time and the right group of people. If you don't wanna be shy or uncomfortable anymore, you don't have to be. Your best friend teaches this stuff so why not let her help?"

"I don't know," she answered, leaning in closer to him. Merle was like a big brother; he made her feel calm and protected.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"Go for it, but if it's juicy I'm telling everyone," he chuckled.

"I don't think I ever had an orgasm before."

"What the fuck?" he exclaimed.

"Shhhh...Merle, shut up!"

"If you don't think you have then you haven't."

"How do you know that? Stuff has felt good before so maybe-"

"Nope."

"But this one time I think-"

"Nope. You'd know if you did."

"How do you know? You're a man."

"Just trust me, I know. I've seen it enough."

"Are you bragging?" she asked, with a smirk.

"No, I didn't know what I was doing for years, but then I shut my mouth and listened to Andrea and now? Yeah, I know how to get the job done."

Carol swallowed and leaned her head in her hand.

"So how do you know when it's happened?"

Merle gave her a look like she had three heads.

"You know if Andrea heard you ask that she'd drag you to her class kicking and screaming."

"I know...so?"

"It's really obvious. She gets kinda out of breath and moans a lot, and then I can feel it. She'll normally pull me closer and gets really tense. A lot of the time Andrea will just scream that she's cumming though," he laughed.

Carol found herself getting aroused just listening to it. From what she'd heard Merle could get a woman off in no time flat. She happy Andrea had a man like him.

"Huh..." she mused because she couldn't think what else to say.

"She could help you, you know? She's good at this, and she knows what she's doing," Merle insisted.

Andrea came back in and sat down on the couch in her sweats holding her knitting. She was a sex therapist who made scarves and toques in her down time.

"Andrea, I want to do this class."

"Huh?" Andrea asked.

"I want to do this class you were talking about for shy people. I need to...I have a problem."

Carol couldn't believe what she was saying but being best friends with a sex therapist and never having an orgasm was ridiculous.

"You mean it? I'd love to help if I can," Andrea exclaimed, hugging her tight.

"I know you can help me; it's just hard to ask."


	3. Chapter 3

**^LESSON THREE**

Andrea got to work planning a class and advertising it to the surrounding area. She called specifically for shy people or anyone with a social anxiety and actually got a good response within a few days.

She discussed with Carol the basics of what the class would entail and Carol agreed even though she was nervous.

"Just say no whenever you want. I can always get Merle and Carmen to finish the class if you don't want to. Don't feel obligated to do anything at all."

"I thought Merle was going to be involved anyway," Carol noted, wondering what Andrea had in mind.

"If you're comfortable with him we can do that. I was kind of thinking of finding another shy person for this class, but it's completely up to you."

"Who do you know that's shy like me?" Carol asked.

"I was thinking of Merle's brother, Daryl. He's kind of shy with women. It's not obvious though cause he overcompensates with humor. Merle says he's got a few things to learn."

"I've never met his brother, what's he like?"

"He's a sweetheart. He's kinda goofy, he has a great sense of humor."

"I feel a little weird about getting a strange man to do sexual things with me."

"It'll be fine, I swear. We'll start off really slow."

"What am I doing with my life?" Carol asked with a loud groan.

"You're doing something good for yourself, trust me. You don't have to do a single thing you don't want to but at least come and listen. This class can just be for information or whatever you want."

"No, I'm good. I think. What better way to get through something than diving in at the deep end, right?"

"Right. What's the worst that could happen? So Thursdays are good for you?" Andrea checked.

"Yeah, Thursdays are fine."

############################

Carol sat at home on her bed and looked through the plan Andrea had put together for the class and watched some videos she had made from previous classes.

Andrea had recorded some video of Merle and Carmen, and it was strange to watch, she didn't know how Andrea could watch her man with someone else.

In the video, Carmen was straddling Merle's lap, and they were just looking at each other and then leaning their foreheads on each other shoulders. Carol figured it was some kind of relationship bonding thing, but she didn't really get it. They were dressed, but it still looked pretty intimate to her. People were watching, and Andrea was making notes and looking vaguely interested.

The classes were supposed to start out very tame with trust exercises and talk of consent and looking into each other's eyes. It got gradually more intimate, and it looked terrifying, but she felt she needed this in her life. She was 30, and she wanted what all these other women had. She could easily keep trying to have relationships on her own, but she kept on ending them when they went anywhere. This was a safe environment, and Andrea had a degree in this.

Listening to women around the office talk about their amazing weekends with their boyfriends and husbands was getting hard. Carol just didn't know how to let herself get close to anyone. Being with Ed had made her uncomfortable with anyone getting into her personal space, but emotionally she wanted to get close to someone.

Ed only ever wanted it his way, and that was usually drunk, aggressive and with the lights out. Often it hurt and now it made her body rigid and tense at the idea of even being touched. Carol wanted to be able to melt into someone's arms and let go, and this was the only way she could think to achieve that. Andrea said she could have all of this if she just trusted the process and she prayed that was true. Carol wanted someone to love, and she wanted to be able to embrace it completely.

She had wanted to ask for help for a while, but it took her time to admit to herself it was a problem. None of her dates got to anything more than kissing, and she was walking away from perfectly nice men just to avoid it getting sexual. She found herself blaming it all on them for rushing her, but she knew that most times they weren't, she was just afraid.

#####################

"You still single?" Merle asked Daryl over beers and a football game and Daryl's place.

"Yeah. Pass me the phone. I'm fucking starving."

Daryl took the phone and looked up the nearest pizza place.

Daryl realized then that it was a weird question for his brother to be asking.

"Why do you want to know if I'm single?"

"Andrea's looking for a new guinea pig," he chuckled.

"Get right outta town. She knows I don't even shower at the gym, right? I'm not showing my dick to her whole class." he laughed.

"That's kind of the idea. She needs shy people."

"I'm not shy," Daryl argued.

"You only talk to women when you're drinking, without the liquid courage you're timid as a church mouse."

"Pfft! Whatever." It wasn't a great argument, but it's all he had since Merle was right.

"Be a hell of a boring class with just me standing there fully dressed, won't it?" he laughed, dialing the number to the pizza place.

"She's got a girl already," Merle answered, laying back on the couch and drinking his beer.

"How the hell did she get a shy girl to agree to her class? This girl knows what she's in for, right?"

"It's her best friend, Carol. Get this though; the woman's never cum before!"

"What the fuck? Oh! Sorry....yeah, I'll take a large pepperoni, mushroom and green pepper, please. Yep, 311 4th Ave. Thanks."

Daryl hung up the phone and looked at Merle, trying to figure out the catch.

"How does that work? Wasn't she married?"

"Yeah, she's divorced now and the guy never once got her off. It's a fucking tragedy. I wanted to get her off myself, right then and there."

"That's insane; she's gorgeous. She's the woman in the picture on your fridge, right? The short brown hair and the blue eyes?"

"Yeah, so you wanna do it?" Merle asked.

"Fuck, I don't know....it's all that hippy dippy stuff too, isn't it? I have to do yoga and meditate?"

"If you go with it you just might learn something, grasshopper," Merle joked.

"Yeah, but I don't wanna show you my dick," he laughed.

"I've seen it, it ain't nothing special," Merle yawned.

"Fuck it! Yeah, I'll do it."

"You think you're up for it?" Merle teased.

"Nah! I haven't been with anyone since I moved up here and she'll probably laugh herself silly but what do I have to lose?"

"You'll get paid for it anyway," Merle added.

"Sweet," Daryl laughed. "I'd probably do it for free but don't tell her that."

"Carol's really sweet so just behave yourself," Merle warned.

"What the hell do you think I'm gonna do? I'm a total gentleman," he insisted.

"You could maybe use a touch of maturity with the fairer sex, but you'll get there," Merle joked.

"Pfft! I don't need hippy stuff to know how to have sex, but I'll take your challenge."

"Andrea taught me tons of stuff, and I'm better off for it. Just listen and learn, boy. You won't be sorry."

"I remember before you met her and you were with a different woman every night and partying it up. She really changed you."

"Yep, but I got it all now, she's the best."

"Awwww! So romantic," Daryl joked, rolling his eyes.

"You'll get it someday, baby brother....I hope."

  
###################

"Just meet him and see what you think. He's a nice guy to meet anyway. I'm surprised we never introduced you yet. He works with Merle at the garage," Andrea explained.

"So is he coming to karaoke tonight then?" she asked.

"Yeah, I asked him to come with us. You do talk more when you're drinking and singing like a fool," Andrea laughed.

"Hey, I sing great karaoke!" Carol defended.

It was lame as hell but Merle, Andrea, and Carol had a habit of singing karaoke and getting drunk for shits and giggles on many a Friday night. This is where they had all met 3 years ago. Carol was still with Ed then, and he never wanted her to sing or do much of anything but when he ended up shit faced and passed out one night Andrea had dragged her up for a song.

One painful rendition of  _I touch Myself_ by the Divinyls, and a friendship was born. The three of them were thick as thieves ever since. Merle and Andrea were both very happy to see her away from Ed now and ready to move on with her life.

Daryl had moved back to town in the last year, and Carol was just now seeing him for the first time. She hoped he'd be as cool as Merle.

"He says he'll be here in just a few minutes," Merle said, sitting down at the table and looking through the book of songs.

"Does he look like you?" Carol asked Merle.

"No, he's not as pretty as me. Just kidding, I'm the ugly one," he laughed, downing his third whiskey of the evening.

Andrea leaned over and kissed him sweetly.

"You're my handsome man," she grinned.

"You're drunk, baby."

"I am, but you're still handsome. Right, Carol?"

"Absolutely gorgeous," she agreed.

"There he is now. Hey, Daryl! Over here!" Merle bellowed.

Carol looked up, and there was a man with shaggy dark hair and a beard who definitely looked nothing like Merle.

"Hey," he said, sitting down next to Andrea and across from Carol.

"Daryl, Carol. Carol, Daryl," Merle said, between ordering another round.

"Hi," she attempted over the music.

"Hey. My brother talks about you quite a bit," he hollered back.

"Hope it's all good."

"It is. You gonna sing?" he asked with a grin.

"Not drunk enough yet," she giggled.

"Well, get going," he laughed, sliding her drink toward her.

"So you're a mechanic too?" she asked.

"Yeah, what do you do?"

"I work at an insurance company. It's super exciting, so I'll spare you the details."

Daryl laughed and nodded at her.

They all got to know each other's drunk selves, and soon Carol was sitting next to Daryl, and he had his arm around her shoulder. He was casual and funny; it was easy to feel like she knew him already.

Andrea dragged her up to sing a few goofy songs and Carol was feeling chatty and tipsy; it was just a fun night out. Alcohol was an easy social lubricant for a quiet person, even if it wasn't really wise.

Merle and Andrea went outside for some fresh air, and a smoke and Carol found herself eyeing up Daryl for not the first time that evening. He looked really strong; he definitely worked out. He had blue eyes that were squinty and mischievous. He looked like a whole lot of trouble but a whole lot of fun too. He should have made her nervous, but for some reason, she didn't find herself feeling especially awkward.

"So what do you think of this class thing?" he asked, leaning his mouth into her neck, so he didn't have to yell.

She sighed and shook her head a little.

"I don't know. It's pretty terrifying, but I do have some issues so.....I don't know."

"Yeah, Merle said you've never cum before."

"He told you that?" she exclaimed.

"Yes?"

"I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch!" she growled.

"Hey, it's alright. I was probably gonna figure it out anyway, right?"

She rolled her eyes and took a long sip of her drink. Of course, Merle would tell his brother that.

"Don't be embarrassed; it's no big deal."

"That's easy for you to say, you don't have issues," she sighed. Her face was hot and burning from him knowing something so intimate about her, but he hadn't been a jerk about it, and he probably would figure it out eventually.

"Oh, I probably have a few," he laughed.

"Andrea says everything will be fine and I trust her, but it's still really weird for me. I've never even done it with the lights on."

She figured she may as well let him know what he was in for right off the bat now that he knew her secret.

"Seriously?" he asked.

"Oh god! Do you have this great big wealth of experience and I'm just going to look like an idiot?"

"No. I haven't been with anyone for a while. I don't get around as much as I used to in my stupid youth."

"Did she give you that information?" she asked, wondering if he knew what was expected yet.

"Yeah, looks OK. Some of it's a bit 'new age' for me, but Merle says she knows what she's doing," he chuckled.

"So you're in then?" she smiled.

"Oh hell yeah! Me and you will be the best sex class guinea pigs they ever had," he teased and nudged her shoulder.

"You're a goof, Daryl."

"You're not as freaked out though, right?"

"No, I'm not," she admitted.

"Well, there ya go," he grinned. "Won't be so scary if you're laughing."

"You may just have a point there," she agreed. There was something about his sweet, simple logic that put her right at ease. Maybe she could actually pull this off and get her life back.

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**^Lesson 4**

By the time the first class came, Carol had seen Daryl once more for coffee with Andrea and Merle, and they emailed a few times. He sent her some goofy drawings of Kama Sutra positions and asked if she wanted to give it a whirl in class.

He was silly, and she was a little concerned he might not be up to something this serious, but that was before he proved her wrong. By the end of the first class, she knew he'd be fine, and that goofiness was a blessing more than it was a problem.

She had studied the course manual and sat at the front of the class next to Daryl and listened to Andrea introduce everyone. There were 7 couples which was a good turn out, Andrea was excited about the interest in such a class. These were the people she wanted to reach the most.

They had all filled out questionnaires so Andrea could get an idea of what everyone needed from the class. Daryl and Carol had filled them out too, and Carol didn't even know how to answer some of the questions, but she hoped by the end of the class she would.

 

“I want to be clear that this class is not to make you do anything you don't want. I'm not here to tell you that a healthy sex life means being kinky or swinging from the chandelier. If you are happy doing it only in the dark and only on Saturday night, then you should own it and enjoy. At the same time if there are things you do want, and you are having trouble feeling comfortable getting there, that's what this class is for. You make your own rules and goals; I'm only here to help you get there if I can. This is a safe space, and everyone is free to participate or not participate as much as they want, and all questions are encouraged. Deal?”

 

Everyone in the class seemed to let out a sigh of relief. Andrea knew just what they needed to hear and really soon everyone was chatting like old friends. Andrea was made for this work and sharing her gifts with others.

She went over a lot of information about anxiety and relaxation, and Carol took notes and paid close attention. She wanted to experience all these things for herself, so she was committed to learning all she could. Wasting time with Ed was something she wanted to move passed.

She was watching Andrea write on the white board when Daryl slipped her a note.

She looked at him sideways, and he grinned, then looked straight ahead.

_**~ I dare you to put a tack on her chair.** _

She laughed silently to herself and wrote back to him.

_**~ you aren't trying to get me into trouble, are you?** _

She dropped the piece of paper in his lap, and he read it and nodded back to her.

 

“OK, Daryl and Carol do you want to show us the first example of couples bonding?”

“Huh?” he asked, cause he was already not listening.

“Get over here,” Andrea insisted.

“Yep, sorry. Got it,” he laughed.

“So we just have our couple sit and face one another, and this is all about feeling comfortable with people looking right at you. Many people avoid direct eye contact, and this just gets you used to it. Allowing your partner to really look at you is important. If anyone wants to try this, go right ahead or just watch, whatever you want.”

Carol had read all about this and watched videos, she didn't think they'd be able to get through it without giggling, but at least they were staying dressed.

They sat cross-legged and faced each other.

“So hold hands and look right into each other's eyes. You can either stay silent or say some things you appreciate about each other; it's completely up to the individual. Our demonstrators aren't in a relationship, so they won't have anything to say but try it with your partner. It's important to actually voice the things you like and appreciate about them; you can't just assume they already know.”

Daryl took her hands, and they were warm and soft. He felt like a twit but she had pretty blue eyes, and it was nice to look at them and not have to look away every time she noticed. He could tell she was nervous and felt awkward, but she stuck to it and looked right at him. He thought this would be really stupid, and he'd feel nothing, but he liked just looking at her. His nerves were on fire just being watched by the class and touching her hands.

Daryl assumed people thought he was cool with women, but it was a lie, all of it. Taking a woman home while you're drunk is not an act of bravery, it was the behavior of a man comfortable fucking but afraid of real intimacy.

He wondered how long they were supposed to keep it up. The silence was the most awkward part, so he decided to say something, anything to break it.

“Your eyes are pretty,” he said with a grin.

Carol turned bright red, and he laughed.

Andrea was still talking but stopped to look down at them.

“It's also OK to have fun with it. It's all supposed to be enjoyable, not work. Our helpers are kinda goofy so we can expect some giggles from them, I think.”

The class laughed and seemed to be put at ease by the less serious tone. Andrea saw no reason to be stuffy about it, sex was supposed to be fun, and people would pay closer attention if they weren't bored.

Daryl's hands were strong and cool to the touch. She focused on his mouth mostly and then his eyes. It was so strange to look right at someone's face, but he had a nice face to look at.

Daryl winked at her, and she dropped her head to her chest, trying to stay composed. Carol finally looked back up at him and managed to stop grinning.

“You have nice eyes too,” she said, softly.

Breaking the ice with Daryl had been a bit silly, but she felt more comfortable with him than with any man she could recall.

The first class went fine, and she did feel a little better already. All the couples there were nice, normal people and a little shy as well. Carol actually thought she might be able to get through some of the more advanced parts of the class. Everyone there genuinely wanted help, just like her, and that helped. It was going to run for the next 8 weeks, and she had a feeling that she'd be a different person by the end of it.

###############################

At work the next day she found herself thinking of class instead of work. Her job was boring, so it was hard not to think of what was to come.

The man she had gone on a date with called and even though he was nice and attractive she didn't really want to see him again.

Staying single during this process was a good idea in her opinion. Any man she dated would probably find it odd that she was taking part in a sex class with another man.

Carol ate lunch in the park downtown and called Andrea to shoot the breeze.

“Still OK with everything?” Andrea checked.

“Yeah, we get to stay dressed this week too, so I'm not hyperventilating yet.”

“You never have to go there if you don't want to. I always have willing people who can do it.”

“I think it's OK. I'll let you know if I don't want to. Daryl seems alright.”

“He's a good guy. I wouldn't let him anywhere near you if he was an asshole.”

“I know. If he's Merle's brother, he has to be OK.”

“Any questions about this week?” Andrea asked.

“So I have to sit on his lap?”

“It is the easiest position for this exercise unless you just want to stand. The idea is just to listen to each other breathing and relax. It's not intended even to be sexual really it's just to get you to be in the moment and get to a really calm state with each other. It's actually a really comfortable position to sit in.”

“That should be OK. I'm mostly afraid of weirding him out.”

“He'll be fine. I talked to him, and he seems really into it. He asked a lot of questions.”

“Really?”

“He asked if you're single and if you'd mind if he called you. I think he likes you.”

“Oh...you really think so?” Carol grinned.

“You two are gonna be trouble; I can feel it,” Andrea chuckled.

“Maybe, but I still have so much to work through before I can even be a decent girlfriend to anyone,” Carol admitted.

“You have a good heart and so much to offer, Carol. Any man would be lucky to have you as a girlfriend.”

“Not if I don't even feel comfortable being intimate,” Carol argued.

“The right man will wait, and he'll help you get there.”

“Where is this man?” Carol asked.

“Keep your eyes open, and you'll find him, I'm quite sure of that now.”

Carol found herself looking forward to the next class and seeing if she could get closer to the normal she was aiming at.

###########################

“How is Carol doing with all this stuff?” Merle asked, opening a beer and sitting back on the couch. He still had on his coveralls from work, and his hands were dirty but it had been a long day, and he dared to sit on the cream colored couch for a quick beer before he showered.

“She's OK, I think. They both are. If I'm not mistaken, there's some attraction there.”

“Really? Do you think that's a good idea?” Merle asked.

“It's not up to us, babe. I don't see why not though.”

“Daryl doesn't really do girlfriends.”

“He was asking all kinds of questions about her, seems like he pretty interested.”

“As long as he doesn't mess with her, he'll have me to deal with if he does,” Merle groaned, getting up off the couch.

“You sit on my couch in your dirty coveralls again, and you'll have me to deal with,” she growled, looking at the gray splotches where he was sitting.

“I ain't afraid of you, woman!” he hollered from down the hall.

“That's it!” she shouted and chased him into the bedroom.

Soon he had his greasy hands all over her, and she dragged him into the shower.

###########################

Carol was flipping through a textbook of Andrea's that was very technical and boring to read, not actually sexual at all. She sighed and tossed it on the ground beside her bed. She had so much sex on the brain lately it was becoming a preoccupation.

Carol wanted so badly to work through whatever was wrong with her and get busy living.

She groaned and stretched out on her quilt. Sitting hunched over a book for so long had made her back stiff and sore.

When her phone started ringing she rolled over and grabbed it off the night table slowly.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Carol?”

She sat straight up when she realized it was him.

“Is it OK that I called you? Andrea said you wouldn't mind.”

“No, it's fine. How are you?”

“Good.”

There was a silence he didn't know how to fill, so he turned to humor the way he always did when alcohol was unavailable.

“Sorry to get all your hopes up but I was looking at the Kama Sutra stuff again, and I don't think I'm flexible enough to do half of it.”

She laughed and again she felt right at ease.

“That's such a shame, I was really looking forward to the _Splitting Bamboo_ position,” she joked, although it did look fun.

“That one I think I can pull off, no worries,” he answered.

She could almost hear him grinning over the phone, and it made her smile. She had a feeling the jokes were a cover like Andrea said but she loved his jokes, and they made her feel better about everything.

“Well, that's good. I'm not that flexible either, so we're fine.”

It was goofy to be discussing sex positions with some she hadn't even kissed, but they were both laughing pretty hard over it.

Before they hung up, he asked if she felt OK with everything for the next class and from the tone of his voice he really wanted to know.

“I'm fine; I think this whole thing is really going to help me. Thanks for being willing to get involved, I know it's kinda weird.”

“This is no hardship on my part. I get to spend my evening with you and stare at your face; it's the best class I ever took. A little bird told me I'm gonna get to kiss you later if you don't get sick of me first.”

She blushed, and everything felt OK, she knew then that they could get through the whole thing together. There was supposed to be a lot more involved later than just kissing, but she loved the way he worded it. He was very sweet, and when she thought of kissing him, she felt excited and frankly couldn't wait.

“I don't see me getting sick of you anytime soon.”

“Good,” he said, sounding more serious suddenly, “cause I really want to do this with you.”

“Me too,” she answered, softly.

They talked a while longer, and by the time he said goodnight she was sure about it all. He was probably the only one she could do this with; it just felt right with him.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**^Lesson Five**

Carol stretched out on Andrea and Merle's couch flipping through one of Andrea's many, many, many sex books. Merle was watching TV, and she was just waiting for Andrea to get home.

"I have a bone to pick with you, you know?" she began.

"What did I do?" Merle asked, feigning innocence.

"You told your brother my secret."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just thought he should know if he's gonna do this class with you."

"Why?"

"I just think if he knows he'll be more sensitive and take it slower."

"Damn you!" she sighed and went back to her reading.

"What now?" he laughed.

"I kinda wanted to try being mad at you, but you make it hard."

Merle looked at her and knew he probably shouldn't pester her with questions, but he was dying of curiosity.

"Can I ask you a couple questions?" he asked, turning the TV off.

"Yeah," she answered, not looking up from the book.

"Don't you ever masturbate?"

Carol shouldn't have been so surprised by such a question from Merle or Andrea, but she still looked up like a deer caught in the headlights.

"I've tried....it just doesn't work. I feel weird about it, maybe I'm broken," she laughed.

"And you never watch porn or anything?" he asked.

"No, I'm not into that stuff. Ed sure liked it though," she answered, rolling her eyes.

"Sorry, I'm just interested. I was jerking off when I was 13. I kinda assumed everyone did it, but everyone's different, right?"

"My parents were pretty religious; they said it was a sin, so I just never did it. My mom would faint if she knew what I was doing now, my dad's probably rolling in his grave."

"I get it that it freaks some people out, but you're doing nothing wrong."

"I know, it's hard to let go of the ideas you were raised with though. My mom's family are all religious too, but they aren't nearly as strict about these things, it was just my parents and my mom's sister for some reason."

Andrea walked in the front door and plopped on the couch with a groan.

"Hey you," Carol said, getting up to grab her a drink. "Long day?"

"It was awful. I got a call from Carmen, and this new boyfriend is in jail. The son of a bitch got jealous and hit her, in public!"

"What?" Merle asked, looking instantly angry. "I'll kill the prick."

"She won't even tell me his name; she just wants to forget about it. Good thing it happened in public cause someone called the police, I don't know if she would have," Andrea sighed.

"Is she OK?" Merle asked.

"She's got a black eye. I guess she'll be OK if she can just stay away from the creep."

"That girl is like a magnet for assholes," Merle said, shaking his head.

"See if you can talk some sense to her maybe, she'll listen to you," Andrea suggested, handing him the phone and taking a glass of wine from Carol.

"You're a doll, Carol. Thanks."

"You two are pretty close with her," Carol noted.

"She's had a rough life, and we try to help her when we can. Her and Merle are closer than me and her, but I worry about that girl. Merle's right, she picks assholes."

"And you never get jealous?"

"Nope. He's free to go whether I police him or not so why bother? He's with me cause he chooses to be not cause I keep him in a box."

"I guess so. I don't really understand you two, but if it works for you, that's cool."

Carol ended up back at home that night with a stack of books from Andrea's house and was sat in the tub reading a book about masturbation. Surely she was getting something wrong.

The book suggested looking at your own anatomy with a mirror, and she wrinkled her nose and dropped the book on the floor. She sank down into the water and realized she'd never really look at her own body before. She was a million light years behind everyone else. How could she possibly catch up now?

As she was getting dressed later, she sat on the edge of her bed in front of the closet mirror and forced herself to look. If she was supposed to show her body to anyone else the book recommended looking at it herself first.

It felt wrong and weird, and she stopped five times in the process before going for it.

“Jesus!” she exclaimed, to the empty room when she finally did it.

There it was. She pulled a face of confusion and turned the light on to see better.

“Jesus.....it's....alright.”

She couldn't help talking herself through it; it helped for some reason. Carol moved her knees even further apart and stared at it, like a newly discovered planet in the sky.

“Huh!....not bad,” she noted, “not bad at all.”

She shook herself back to reality and got dressed to get into bed. Step one? Check! Actually looking at it. This book was going to be interesting.

##############

The next class wasn't making her too nervous, and Andrea showed them all a movie about meditation and deep breathing techniques to deal with anxiety.

Daryl was behaving himself more than normal this class, so Carol wondered if he was OK.

She leaned over to him in the dark as the movie played.

“You alright?”

“Yeah...I was just thinking. What if I ' _like'_ something we do when I'm not supposed to? You won't freak out and call the cops, will you?”

She smiled and shook her head.

“No, I promise I won't. What made you think of that?” she asked, thinking this class was pretty tame.

“I somehow don't think you straddling me is going to be very relaxing.”

“No?” she laughed.

“Hell no! Andrea's nuts if she thinks this is going to make me all zen.”

“You don't have to do it then; she says we can say no to anything. Merle could do it instead.”

Daryl thought about it for a moment, and there's no way he wanted to see Carol on his brother's lap instead of his.

“Nah, I'm good. I'll just think of really unsexy things.”

Andrea gave them a stern look for talking, and they both went back to watching the rest of the movie.

Andrea turned on the lights afterward and had a discussion with the class and answered a lot of questions they had. Everyone was getting more comfortable, and Carol found the questions interesting, she really was learning things here. It made her feel relieved to know others had issues as well. She felt like these people weren't about to judge her for simple shyness, it did feel like a place you could open up.

“Alright, Daryl and Carol come over here.”

Daryl came and sat where she showed him to on the mat on the floor. He took a slow breath trying to think about golf, taxes, opera, anything else but her sitting in his lap.

“So this exercise is in your book, and the idea is to just be in the moment and listen to your partner breathing and get used to being close. It's not intended to be sexual necessarily since it's done fully dressed but it's still likely that both partners will enjoy it.”

Carol stood in front of him and hoped she could get into this position with some grace. She wore yoga pants to class cause at least they had some stretch, but now she was thinking they were pretty tight.

She lay her hands on his shoulders and crouched down to sit down facing him on his lap. He felt good between her legs, and he lay his hands on her waist as she settled herself down on him. It was an odd thing to do with a person you didn't know well but being this close to him felt great to her, she trusted him.

“Great,” Andrea said. “So in this position, you just rest your head on your partner's shoulder and lean your weight on them. It's supposed to be the kind of position where you can relax deeply and just let your mind go a bit. Life is busy with kids and work, so it's nice to take some time in a day where you unplug from devices and just connect with each other in a nonsexual way. Even 10 minutes can help you feel in tune with your partner again.”

Daryl knew what Andrea was saying made logical sense but she wasn't a man with a lap full of sweet smelling woman, he was going a little out of his mind. Daryl couldn't help himself anymore. He imagined her riding him and him kissing her neck, pulling her closer.

Carol felt self-conscious that her pants were sliding down her ass a little, so she reached back to hike them up and rocked on his lap a bit harder than she meant to, causing him to hiss.

“Oh....I'm sorry,” she whispered, laying her head down on his shoulder.

“It's OK,” he answered. His voice was lower, and he didn't know where to put his hands so thankfully Andrea told him.

“You can just put your hands on her back or thighs or anywhere she wants.”

He settled on her back and put his head on her shoulder as well.

This class was murder. She smelled like coconut and baby powder, and it was all he could do not to try and kiss her bare neck.

He knew this was not the time to push it and he had so many people watching. Merle had reminded him again to behave himself with her. He said she was uncomfortable with this kind of thing and if he made that worse she wouldn't want to do it with him, she'd find someone else who wasn't a creep. It was hard to have her so close and not feel anything, in fact, it was impossible, but he was trying.

“It's really simple, but when you take sex off the table and just get close to each other and focus on your breathing, you can achieve a deeper level of intimacy that makes sex so much better when you do get there because both partners are comfortable with it.”

Daryl thought everything Andrea said made complete sense; he'd never thought of it this way at all. It still wasn't any easier though, and he was burning for her.

“Are you OK?” he asked her quietly so only she could hear. He didn't want to announce to everyone that she might have trouble with this.

“Yeah....this is actually really nice,” she answered in a sleepy voice. “It's really relaxing.”

It was making him a lot more horny than relaxed but that's not what she needed to hear, and he knew it.

“It is nice...glad you're OK,” he whispered. He couldn't think of anything amusing to say right then; there was no blood going to his brain.

She moved her face closer into his neck and was blown away to find she was actually calm. The last man she'd been out with put his arm around her, and it made her cringe. Maybe it was that he moved too fast or was presumptuous in the way he approached her but it didn't work for her.

Her hands were resting on Daryl's lower back, and she felt so at peace and yet attracted to him that it was just a pleasant experience all the way around.

Daryl survived the exercise, and after class, they all went for coffee. Carol looked different now, she appeared more relaxed, and he had a feeling by the way she looked at him that she'd want to keep working with him on this.

Before she left she asked him if he'd like to hang out before the next class and he agreed immediately. He walked her out to her car and waited for her to get in and leave.

“Great, so any day that's good for you,” she smiled, getting into her car.

He leaned against her car, and she looked back at him, wondering what else he had to say.

“I want you to tell me if I do anything wrong, OK?”

She looked up at him from the driver's seat, and she loved the look of concern in his eyes.

“I will...everything is fine. I feel really comfortable with you.”

“That's good, me too....I'll call you then, hey?”

“Perfect. I think this class is helping already.”

“It's helping me too.....goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Daryl.”

 

 

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**^Lesson Six**

Carol knew this was going to get more and more complicated, but Andrea was amazed by how well she was handling things.

Merle was out helping Carmen get some of her stuff back from her ex-boyfriend's house, and Andrea was hoping there wouldn't be any trouble. Merle didn't tolerate abusive men at all.

Andrea and Carol were spending the evening watching movies and talking about the class.

"You seem so OK with him," Andrea noted.

"He makes me nervous cause he's attractive but he doesn't make me feel the way other men do, I don't feel scared of him touching me."

"That's good. You two look really good together; the class can't take their eyes off you when you demonstrate."

"Really?" Carol grinned.

"Oh yeah, the room heats up ten degrees. Everyone can see there's something there."

Half an hour later Andrea noticed her nose was still in a book about masturbation instead of on the movie.

"You're missing Chris Pratt, woman! You don't have to do homework reading, you know?" Andrea teased.

"This is a good book, sorry."

"You learning some stuff?" Andrea inquired.

"Yeah, but still nothing works. Do you think I might need to see a doctor or something?"

"It's likely just psychological. Factors like age, medications or gynecological disorder don't apply to you."

"Do you always have to sound like a textbook?" Carol joked.

"Sorry. Have you ever tried a vibrator or something?"

"No, I don't even know what I'm doing," she laughed.

"We'll cover some of that in class then," Andrea suggested. "I have a good short video about that I'm going to lend you."

"Yes, Ma'am," she joked. Carol poured another glass of wine and deciding to focus on Star Lord for a while. Guardians of the Galaxy was their kind of chick flick.

Both Andrea and Merle were excited to see Carol get to a place where she felt happy with her sex life. Not everyone had to be a sex freak or some kind of exhibitionist, just as long as she was fulfilled with her sex life however that worked. Lots of people just prefer to do it in the dark, and they are happy, but something told Andrea that Carol wanted to feel comfortable doing more.

The questionnaire and group discussions in class gave her a pretty good idea about her comfort level.

"Did you want to go to the gym tomorrow evening?" Andrea asked.

"I can't, Daryl's coming over."

"Ah...a little out of class study?"

"I just wanted to hang out with him and get to know him better."

"That's nice. It's perfect that you two feel so at ease. Maybe you don't even need this class," she laughed.

"I still want to listen to everything, and I like all these things you're teaching. I swear I could have fallen asleep in his arms the other night and I never feel calm when men touch me."

"That's a really good sign," Andrea grinned.

"I hardly know him, but I just feel really comfortable it doesn't make sense, but I'm not questioning it too much."

###################

Carol was staring at the masturbation video Andrea had given her when her phone went off, scaring the life out of her.

_**~ you hungry?** _

She looked at the text from Daryl and tried to decide if she was hungry or not.

_**~ a little, why?** _

_**~ I'll bring some supper. Do you like Thai food?** _

_**~ sure, thanks a lot.** _

_**~ yep, see ya soon** _

Carol decided to finish watching the video later; it was making her feel pretty frisky. She got into a pair of jeans and tank top with a loose cardigan over top. She just felt like being comfortable if they were only going to be hanging around the house. Carol figured getting to know him would make class easier although she was definitely interested in him too.

When he arrived, she noted that he looked a little dressed up and had a clean white button-down shirt on with a pair of dark jeans.

They ate Thai food, and he asked her about work and made small talk. He was easy to be around, nothing like Ed.

He noticed the newest questionnaire from Andrea on her coffee table and picked it up.

"She gives a lot of homework for a sex therapist," he commented.

"I know! Did she give you that too? I don't even know how to answer half of those questions."

"I'm done already," he smirked.

"Teacher's pet," she shot back.

"Come on, girl. Get your homework done," he teased. "Question one, what do you like least in bed?"

She leaned back against the couch and gave him an 'are you serious?' kind of look.

"Well?" he asked.

"I don't know...pain?" she said, cause it was the least favorite part of being with Ed.

"Jesus...pain?" His eyes took on a sympathetic look, and she shifted and shrugged her shoulders.

She reached forward and took the paper from his hands and nodded.

"Yeah, pain. That's the part I liked the least."

"It definitely shouldn't hurt," he said.

"I know. That's why I'm divorced now...and in sex therapy. What was your answer?"

"Leg cramps," he laughed.

Carol laughed too and rolled her eyes; he knew just how to lighten the mood and when.

"Hand me that pen, please, I better get this done."

She sat on the floor at the coffee table and started trying to think of answers.

He looked over her shoulder at the next one.

_How do you normally communicate to your partner what you want or need?_

She sighed heavily and dropped her head to her folded arms on the table.

"That one's pretty easy isn't it?" he asked.

"Not really. I don't communicate, I run away," she laughed.

"That makes sense," he said.

She frowned and found it odd that he would say it made sense. This was her biggest problem, and here he was saying it was logical.

"Really? I thought you'd think that was crazy."

"If it hurt with your ex then running from it makes complete sense," he answered casually.

Carol smiled at him then; he got it. This man who cracked jokes in class and always seemed to wear a cheeky grin actually got it. She wasn't crazy for feeling the way she felt; it did make complete sense. She felt better in that moment, being understood was a great feeling.

"Just write what you said now. You don't communicate about it because you choose to avoid it," he suggested.

"You're right," she laughed. "I'm going to fill it out 100% honestly."

"Go for it. What's next? _Name a sexual act you are interested in but makes you nervous when you consider doing it."_

She thought about it for a long time and decided to write _pretty much everything, that's why I'm here._

"She's gonna love these answers," he joked.

"Hey, it's honest. What's next? _How does your partner most often bring you to orgasm?"_

She rolled her eyes and groaned to herself.

"Maybe just skip that one," he grinned.

They made it through the rest of the questions together and had a good laugh in the process.

Daryl wanted to kiss her but figured it would send the wrong message at this point. Any other woman and he would have probably just gone for it, but it wasn't right with her. She needed all kinds of space and time. The selfish and horny part of him wondered why he was bothering to pursue it when getting laid was so easy. It was only a matter of going out, getting pissed and running his mouth a little. He could have someone back at his place by midnight, but he didn't want it. He had to see this through. He'd never encountered feelings like this, and he needed to know where it led.

Daryl couldn't stop thinking about what she said about it hurting with her ex, and it made him angry. He wondered what kind of monster would get off on hurting someone in bed.

He did go for a hug before he left and even that was good, she still had that coconut smell that he liked.

Driving home, he decided that if she ended up liking him back, then he wanted to be the first man to make her cum. She was sweet and funny, and she needed someone to be patient, he'd be that man.

This was nothing like his normal game, but he liked that. Taking women home he didn't have any real interest in and just having sex had been losing its appeal for a while now, he hadn't even bothered to do it since moving to the city.

Daryl had always made fun of Merle for being all domesticated and pinned down, but the truth is he'd never seen him happier. He was very likely just envious. There was no getting around the fact that there was nobody waiting for him when he got home but Merle had Andrea every night.

The next class was all about erogenous zones but only above the waist, and he would have to dig deep to make it through getting to kiss her neck.

He wanted her already, and he didn't know if making a move would freak her out or not so he decided to wait and see what happened next. Waiting for her to let him know didn't feel like a hardship, he was curious about the way she made him feel.

Back at home he thought about the next class and how good it was going to feel to touch her, it was a tightrope walk to make her feel good but not push too hard but he figured he was up to the challenge.


	7. Chapter 7

**^Lesson Seven**

Carol turned up the music in her bathroom loud and jumped in the shower. She scrubbed herself and shaved her armpits while singing along to the music. Tonight's class was going to be a bit of a leap. The week had flown by, and they stayed in contact every day with at least text messages but usually, he called her in the evening. She told him more about things with Ed, and he tried to explain his past with women. Carol didn't judge him, it was obvious he didn't want to keep being like that.

She imagined his mouth on her neck, and it made her shiver with anxious energy, she couldn't wait to kiss his skin too. Part of her wondered if this is when she'd finally get nervous and shut down with him. Sometimes it came out of nowhere, and she just didn't want any kind of contact. She didn't really see it happening with him but couldn't be 100% sure.

He was picking her up for class and would be there in an hour. She spent longer than normal getting ready for a class that may potentially involve anything above the waist.

She put on her fanciest bra and a loose peasant top with a pair of jeans. Casual but still cute. She rubbed coconut oil on her skin and lavender perfume. She wanted to smell good if he was going to be so up close and personal.

When he arrived outside her house, she walked down the path to his car feeling surprisingly calm.

"Hey," he said, handing her a coffee.

"Thanks."

"Yeah, no problem. You ready for all this, fellow guinea pig?" he asked, with his eyebrows raised.

"I think so. You?"

"No problem, it's gonna be fine I think. That's what I keep telling myself, but I may screw it up too," he chuckled.

Carol and Daryl sat and chatted with all the couples before class for a while, and they were all raving about Andrea how helpful her class was already.

"You two are the cutest," one woman, named Gina, commented. "I could have sworn you were a couple until Andrea said you were just here to demonstrate."

"Never say never," he winked to Carol, and she rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Alright people," Andrea said, coming in late with Merle on her heels. "Sorry, sorry, sorry it's all his fault."

She unpacked her stuff and said quick hellos to everyone.

"OK," she began, "this class should be pretty fun. We're going to cover some methods for stimulating erogenous zones of the upper body in a way that may be more comfortable for people who are shy. These methods can help both the person giving and receiving contact."

Carol was reading so much and watching so many videos that she had a pretty good idea of what she was going to try with him. She couldn't wait to see how he'd react.

Daryl and Carol sat in the back row and listened intently. He was fidgeting and couldn't think of any good jokes to ease the tension. Carol took notes, like a good student, and listened to the Q and A going on.

He poked her leg, and she turned to see what he wanted.

"I'm kinda nervous," he whispered.

"Just tell her you don't want to, it's OK," Carol suggested.

"I do want to, trust me. I just don't want to do something wrong," he said, coming closer to her, so they weren't being too loud.

"I really think I'm OK," she insisted.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Just give me a smack if I go too far," he laughed.

The day before, Andrea called each of them and explained about all of the erogenous zones she'd be discussing. She said they could demonstrate any they wanted to or just a few. What mattered was the general method not so much the details.

After she spent the first half of the class on theory and discussion, she finally got to the part that had Daryl and Carol alight with nervous energy.

"OK, you two, can you show us a few things?" Andrea asked. Daryl grabbed her hand and walked up to the front of the class before he lost his nerve.

Daryl sat on the edge of Andrea's desk and moved back for Carol to sit in front of him, between his legs. Andrea had gone over the plan the day before, so he actually knew what he was supposed to do, which helped.

"For some people, it's just more enjoyable not to be facing someone while they are being touched and that is completely fine. With your partner behind you, you don't have to worry about them watching you, and you can just focus on how it feels."

Daryl dropped his forehead to the back of Carol's neck, and she smiled, knowing he was nervous and struggling a bit. Her back was exposed, almost all the way to her bra strap, and that was no accident. This peasant top was just the one she wanted to have on with him sitting right behind her.

"Upper body erogenous zones include the neck, back, ears, lips, abdomen, and breasts obviously. Reaching all of these areas can be achieved from this position. So go ahead whenever you're ready, OK?" Andrea said.

Carol just about died when she felt his fingertips on the back of her neck. She looked out at the class, and their eyes were like saucers. Andrea was still droning on about technicalities, but then his hand moved to her face, and his fingers drifted over her lips, and she closed her eyes, taking it all in. Her head moved back, and he kissed her neck just below her ear. She moaned despite herself; her heart was already racing. His mouth was hot, and she could feel his whiskers on her skin. He held her cheek in one hand and just kissed her neck over and over really softly.

When she opened her eyes again, it dawned on her that nobody was listening to Andrea anymore. Every single person in the room, including Merle, was full-on staring.

Daryl licked her earlobe from behind, and she shuddered.

"You OK?" he asked, quietly.

"Uh huh..." she answered lazily.

His hands moved to her stomach, and she felt a fire start to burn deep inside her body, this was insanely powerful for her. She knew all these people were here for the same reasons as her and it made it all easier to let go.

He lay both his hands on her waist and kissed her back, between her shoulder blades.

One look at the eyes of the students and Carol knew they'd all be trying this when they got home. Her breathing had changed, and she wanted him to touch her even more. She hadn't ever wanted this kind of touch before, this was just the kind of thing she had been avoiding, but it felt so good now she couldn't think straight.

She vaguely heard Andrea commenting here and there about God knows what and all she could focus on were his hands moving up to her ribs, just under her breasts as his mouth moved back to her ear.

"Jesus..." she groaned, and the class tittered to themselves a little. Carol couldn't help smiling with her eyes still closed. It was probably a little hot/amusing to watch her getting all caught up in this.

She could feel it in the way he was touching her that he wanted to move his hands higher, and after another minute he asked her if he could, but quietly so that only she could hear it next to her neck.

She nodded her head and then his hands were moving on her breasts, over her shirt. She let her head fall back on his shoulder, and she moved her hips just a little between his thighs. She didn't remember deciding to do it, but her hand reached back and held him by the back of the head as he bit her throat and moved his hands on her breasts smooth and slow. The whole class disappeared to them, and she craved more.

"Alright, guys..." Andrea interrupted. "I'm so sorry to break this up, but it's her turn now."

He sighed heavily and let his hands fall to her thighs; he used every ounce of strength to get himself under control.

The other method was for him to be blindfolded and for her to repeat the whole thing for him. Carol was so worked up she asked for a quick water break before continuing.

Daryl tried to laugh off how aroused he was but it wasn't easy, this was like being set on fire and having a room full of people watch you burn. He wanted her so badly he'd lose it the second she touched him, he just knew it.

He sat down in a chair, and his eyes were covered with a scarf.

"Why are you teaching torture to people, Andrea?" Daryl asked, trying to break the tension a little before he came in his pants in front of a room full of strangers.

Carol looked at him a moment, making a plan in her mind. She wanted to make him feel as amazing as he'd made her feel.

She stood in front of him and lay her hands on his face and bent down to kiss his forehead. It was subtle, but she needed to start slowly. It really did help to have him unable to see her; she didn't feel nearly as self-conscious.

She moved her kisses slowly down to his neck and lay her hands on his thighs. He smelled of aftershave and just plain old masculinity. She ran her fingertips over his lips just once, and he kissed them. She had to have him; she knew that now. She moved her body closer, and he reached out to touch her. She kissed his face and squeezed her hands on his strong thighs and moaned, he was too hot for words. 

"If it's OK with him you could move your attention to his chest and stomach and then maybe wrap it up before you guys burn the whole building to the ground," Andrea suggested.

"That OK?" Carol asked.

"Jesus, yes," he hissed.

She undid the buttons of his shirt and kissed from his neck to his chest as he fought the urge to grab her and drag her out the door.

Just when he thought he could handle it, she moved his legs apart and knelt down between them to lay her hot, wet mouth on his stomach. She'd seen this in a book and hadn't run it by Andrea first. She wanted to see if he liked it and just decided to try it in that moment.

He twitched and knew it was absolutely all he could take. Her tongue moved slowly from his navel to his right nipple as she held his thighs and pushed herself up his body and he had to tap out.

"Whooo hey! Yep. Nope!" he stuttered unintelligibly, only inches away from losing control in front of his own brother.

"Sorry," Carol said, standing up and untying the scarf.

"Don't ever say sorry for that. That was incredible!"

"So there you go, class. Two methods for stimulating upper body erogenous zones for shy folks. I think we can wrap it up here for tonight and I'll see you all back next week."

The whole class agreed that it was a perfect time to get the hell home and try some new things.

Carol gathered her stuff and tried to stop her hands shaking. Daryl waited for her at his car, and she hoped it wasn't done for the night, this hope surprised and excited her. Wanting more touch from anyone was an entirely new concept, and she wanted more from him.

From the look in his eyes as she approached him in the parking lot, he wanted it too.


	8. Chapter 8

**^Lesson Eight**

As he drove her home, the tension between them made words difficult to find. He worried about coming on too strong with her but also about making her feel like he didn't want her. It was a fine line he didn't want to trip on.

The taste of her skin was still fresh in his mouth, and he'd be lying to say he didn't want more.

There was a time in his life when he frequently had sex with women who were very experimental and up for anything. The strange part was the more easy going they were, the less he seemed to be into it. It wasn't special; it was a game. The game felt good and gave him what he wanted, but none of what he needed so the search always continued on to the next fix. The game was physically stimulating but did nothing for his mind and definitely nothing for his heart. He wished he'd been brave enough to meet women sober instead, but it was the way it was. Being placed in the situation he was in with Carol was just what he needed and he could see that clearly now.

He could feel that Carol had liked it when he touched her. She didn't come across like someone who was afraid of touch at all; he must have done something right. Daryl felt like it was a crime for a woman as nice and beautiful as her to not be enjoying sex.

He pulled up outside her house still tossing it around in his mind what to do. She turned to him and smiled like she didn't know either.

“I won't even beg you to let me come in. See? A real gentleman,” he joked.

She opened her purse to find her keys and bit her lip, but she didn't move.

“What is it?” he asked, trying to get some words from her, some kind of direction.

“I know this isn't what you agreed to when you said yes to this....but would you come inside for a bit?”

He wanted to grab her and jump out of the car but decided to go with a different tact.

“Yeah, you sure?” he checked, undoing his seat belt.

“I don't know what it is about you...but it's just been so long since being touched felt good. Honestly, I don't remember it ever feeling like it did tonight. I just don't want it to stop.”

He could tell from her eyes that opening up about these feelings wasn't exactly easy.

“I'm just glad I didn't mess it up. I really don't want to make anything worse for you.”

They walked up the path to her door, and she paused a moment and looked up at him.

“I can't make any promises...I don't even know what I'm ready for.”

“Don't even worry about it, I'm not expecting anything. I just wanna be with you right now.”

“OK.”

She opened the door and walked in to turn on the light in the entryway.

“It's so funny,” he began, “I got all worked up in class there, and I haven't even kissed you yet.”

“That class puts things a little out of order,” she agreed.

The hall was still fairly dim since the lights were off in the rest of the house. Something about it just seemed like the right time to try to approach her.

He took off his coat and draped it over her couch. She put down her purse and just waited as he walked toward her.

“You wanna go in the right order now?” he asked, moving in to kiss her slowly. She nodded and when he kissed her it was right, and he knew it.

It didn't make sense that his touch felt so good when all the men she'd dated since Ed made her tense up. Maybe it was his humor; maybe it was his eyes and how nonthreatening he seemed. Whatever it was she felt safe and good with him.

She lay her hands on the sides of his waist, and the kiss went through all the normal stages. Soft, simple touching of lips followed by the contact of hands on each other's bodies and then the drawing together that came next. She took the half-step necessary to have her body touching his. Daryl held her face in his hands then and moved his tongue over her lips. Soon her own tongue pressed and rolled against his, and she started walking with him toward the couch.

Carol feared that stopping or questioning it too much would break whatever spell they were under.

He sank down to the couch with her, and the kiss was never broken.

The way he touched her in class had left her so achy inside. She knew if anyone could help her to feel good it was him; maybe Ed hadn't smothered the fire in her after all.

He decided to move under her instead of the other way around, at least at first. He didn't want her to feel cornered.

He lay back on her couch, and she set her hands on his chest and kissed his neck again.

Daryl found her to be a mystery, but he was determined to figure her out. He wanted to learn just what she needed to feel good and exactly how she needed it.

“You were making me crazy in class tonight,” he moaned.

“I love how you touch me...I wanted you to feel it too,” she panted.

It felt like at any moment he might go too far but he was starting to need her so badly.

Carol shifted around so that he was over her and his hand moved instinctively down the outside of her thigh. She brought her leg up around him and got completely lost in the moment.

Carol started to feel like she was chasing something, just out of reach. She would almost catch it and then it would sprint beyond her reach again. It was a sensation that kept getting stronger and stronger while leaving her weaker.

The pace increased, and she traced his neck with her tongue, overwhelmed by the taste of his salty skin.

Daryl rolled his hips between her legs before he could stop himself. He hoped his desperately hard dick wouldn't freak her out or make her feel pressured. The way she moaned and pulled him closer indicated that it hadn't been a problem though.

She didn't know why he didn't scare her but he didn't, he made her hungry. Carol ran her hands under his shirt and kissed his chest. She found herself pulling him closer to her. The friction it created was intense, and she was catching up to the sensation she was chasing. He rolled onto his side but still held her leg around him. She felt him take her breast in his hand and she wanted him to take her entire body in that moment.

Ed grabbed and squeezed, pushed and pulled and it all felt horrible. Daryl's touch was gentle and sought permission; it didn't demand access and control.

Daryl could feel her getting closer. He wanted her to get there but only if she was ready.

For the first time in his life, Daryl didn't care if she even touched him, he just wanted her to feel it. He wanted to be the one to give her that feeling for the first time, but he didn't know if she was anything like ready. He heard Andrea in his head telling him that communication was so important.

It was worth asking and to not risk crossing the line.

“Can I touch you?” he asked, hoping she knew what he meant by that.

“Yes,” she answered simply.

His hand slid down the back of her thigh to her ass, and she actually rolled her hips into him.

She whined, and her breath had that telltale catch to it when he moved his hips into her.

“Can you feel it coming?” he asked, as he buried his face into her neck and kissed her hot skin.

“I think so....it feels so good...” she answered.

He'd never felt this good with a woman while both full dressed. It was a very PG13 kind of situation, and yet his blood was boiling for her in a way he'd never felt before.

He let his mouth venture down between her breasts, and he kissed her soft and slow until she squirmed for more. She was on fire, and it was hard to stay restrained.

Before too long his hand was under her shirt and trailing down her back. His touch was gentle, and she knew that she could stop it anytime she needed to, that was the key and the difference to it. This was up to her, and she knew it.

She paused a moment and looked into his eyes; she looked calm but questioning.

His hand ended up on her stomach, and she needed him to touch her. She was aching for it, but didn't want to ask. She moved her hand over his and edged it lower.

It was all she needed to do cause he had the go-ahead that he waited patiently for, he needed her permission first. He kissed her again, and she reached her arms around his neck as he touched her through her clothing.

It was sweet, sinful bliss. His hand moved in a way that beckoned and drew her slowly where she needed to go.

She was breathing heavy now and had her eyes closed tight as his hand moved between her legs. She moaned lazily into his ear, and he could hear in her voice how good she was feeling.

The light from the entryway was illuminating her face enough for him to see she was away somewhere else in her mind, over thinking it. She looked like she had too many thoughts going on to relax. He guessed that her thoughts were keeping her from relaxing to the level she needed to.

“Try not to think of anything, just feel it,” he suggested as he continued to touch her.

“I can never seem to turn off my mind,” she said, breathlessly.

His hand moved to the button on her pants, and she didn't flinch until he pulled down the zipper and went to push his hand further down.

She tensed up just a little, and he stopped cold.

“It's alright; we don't have to,” he said.

“No, please. I want you to,” she said, looking at him with determination in her eyes.

He continued but very slowly.

“I swear to God I won't hurt you,” he assured her.

His hand finally touched her, and she moved her legs closer together, everything she did was on instinct. It only makes physiological sense to shun pain and discomfort, and that's all she had ever known.

“You can relax, it's OK,” he whispered.

She believed him and soon she was moaning softly and letting her legs move a little further apart.

She got caught up in the sensation and stopped kissing him to take it all in. He watched her run her tongue over her lips, and he died a little. It was so simple but so intimate; he knew she was close. Her eyes never opened once; she just needed to detach to feel it.

“I...Jesus, it feels....”

His fingers moved in very slow circles on either side of her clit, and she was so close he was sure of it. It took a while, but she was getting there. She was wet and finally calm enough to let herself feel it.

Her head moved back, and he just pressed his mouth to her forehead, listening to her breathe...

Carol felt fire and sweet agony, and she was chasing, like mad, the sensation she just knew was going somewhere. She was sure this was it, this is what they were all talking about, but it kept getting better and better. It had to stop somewhere, but she couldn't recognize the endgame.

He slid his fingers into her so slowly her back arched, and her legs moved apart a little wider. She found her thoughts finally weren't in control anymore, her body was. Just mindlessly chasing the feeling and moaning. If she had been in her right mind she would have felt ridiculous, but she could taste it now, it was right there.

“Daryl...I...” she whimpered.

“Shhh....it's OK....” he insisted softly.

His fingers moved back to her clit, and he kept it gentle and steady, and that's all it took. There was only a muffled sounding groan and heavy breathing, but he knew that was it. Her body became tense, and she pulled his face into her neck where he could feel her hot breath against his ear.

She said no words; there were no words in all of the universe now. He kissed her face and lips and stopped touching her gradually as it peaked and then faded.

For a long time, she said nothing and just buried her face into his chest.

He'd never done anything like this with anyone, and he knew he'd never forget it. He wasn't proud of himself for getting her off; he was proud of her for allowing him to. She was overcoming heavy issues, and he thought it was very brave of her to trust anyone again.

He was falling so hard already, this kind of intimacy was new to him, and it was intense. The craziest sex in the world couldn't feel as good as doing this with her.

“You did it,” she uttered finally.

“No. You did it.”

After a few more minutes she tried to reciprocate, but he wouldn't have it.

“Not now, you just enjoy this.”

He held her until she was just about sleeping right there on the couch. Before he left, he kissed her at the door and asked her to call him the next day when she was ready.

He didn't want to rush it. What he really wanted was what Andrea and Merle had and sleeping with her too soon was not the way to get it, that's not what she needed.

He wanted to take it slow, and when it did happen, he wanted to make her forget that it had ever hurt. He wanted to show her what it was supposed to be and how it was supposed to feel. If he played his cards right and kept putting her first maybe she'd be able to forget her ex ever existed, he hoped so anyway.

 


	9. Chapter 9

**^Lesson Nine**

Merle just knew something was up the next day at work, Daryl was never this happy to be there. He was humming along to the music on the shop radio while changing oil, it was weird.

“Let's hear it then, what happened?” he asked.

Daryl looked over to him and grinned widely.

“Me and Carol,” he said simply, with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

“Oh yeah? You remember my warning about her, right?”

“I didn't sleep with her,” Daryl clarified to put his mind at ease.

“Good, at least give her a chance to figure out you're a bonehead,” Merle joked.

“Yeah, yeah.”

He was just about to spill it that she had finally cum but then reigned it in. It probably wasn't something she wanted to be shouted all over the garage. There's no way he was going to throw away her trust now. It was likely the first time he had a woman trusting him like this, and it felt good.

“So what is she doing about the rest of the course?” Merle asked.

“I talk to her this morning, and she seems to want to do it more now. It's not as weird as I thought it would be, so I'm cool with it.”

“I'm surprised to see you wanting a proper girlfriend,” Merle noted, still weary of it. Daryl was a good guy, but he'd never been into long term relationships.

“It's weird actually; it's harder with her. I have to be really careful not to do things wrong and take my time, but I like it. Her ex was such an asshole; she deserves better than that.”

Merle smiled and slapped him hard on the back, making him jump.

“Little Daryl's a man now,” he laughed.

“Who you calling, Little Daryl?” he growled back.

“Relax, I was kidding!”

 

#######################

Work was tedious, and Carol sat at her desk with a dreamy grin she couldn't get rid of. She had it now, that thing all the other women had. That weak in the knees, trembling, moaning _thing_ and she wanted more. She wanted to finish these classes, and she wanted him to do it with her.

If this is what sex was really all about and she had a partner she could trust to share it with then she wanted it all.

Daryl was getting into her heart and mind, and she didn't care how fast it was happening. By her logic, she had taken her time with Ed and only slept with him after they got married. She was so proud to tell her parents that she had waited and all it got her was a man who she was incompatible with. The more sex didn't work between them the angrier he got, and the more he blamed her.

From now on her sex life wouldn't depend on someone else's moral argument, it would be about who was right for her. She would do it when it felt right and depend on her own mind for the answers.

What happened with Daryl was so special and intimate and, frankly, fantastic that she knew he was the right one for her. Who knew if it would lead to more, but she was wanted to follow it where it led and not push.

Carol was anxious to try and make him feel as good as he had made her feel, she wanted to touch him back so badly.

When she spoke to Andrea later that night that was one of the main things she mentioned.

“I never really did much to Ed, not that I really wanted to. What should I do for Daryl?”

“What you were doing last class seemed to be working for him. I bet your instincts are pretty darn good already, but I may have some pointers before next class. So tell me more about your first ever O,” Andrea squealed.

“I was close sometimes before, I know that now, but good lord was it amazing! I felt it everywhere!”

Andrea really didn't want to badger her with questions, but a woman in her age group experiencing her first orgasm was so interesting for her as a friend and professional.

“Just tell me to back off and mind my own business but...how did it happen?”

Carol blushed and smiled just remembering it.

“He just touched me. We were just kissing on the couch, and it was so hot, I'm telling you he's incredible. I was a little tense, and he just said to relax, and that he wouldn't hurt me, it was really sexy actually. His voice was all low and smooth, and that did half the job I swear.”

Andrea was grinning and loving this kind of talk from Carol.

“You have no idea how excited I am to hear you like this. You and Daryl are actually pretty well matched. I'm the best, right?” she teased.

“Thanks, Andrea. You found me a good one. I know he has a past, but you'd never know it with the way he treats me,” she noted.

“People change. If Merle was still the same as when I met him, it never would have worked. When you've found somebody worth changing for it just happens.”

“True, and look how happy you and Merle are.”

Feeling this giddy was new, and she couldn't wait to get her hands on him again. She still felt high from the intensity of falling apart in his arms.

 

#########################

Carol got a few more disk drives with videos to check out, some meditation and things Andrea had found that helped with relaxation. Andrea said Carol was on the right track and to enjoy it but that it was fine to slow down at any time and just breathe.

Carol had a feeling Daryl wasn't in a hurry to rush her along, and it made her feel better, but she did feel ready for more. Once the fire was lit, it kept her at a simmer, and she wanted to keep it burning.

That night she curled up in her pajamas to check out some of the videos on the flash drive from Andrea. Daryl called her to chat, and she couldn't wait to see him the next day. He asked her out for dinner, and it couldn't come soon enough.

Some of the video was a little slow. Watching other people relaxing while a calm voice droned on in the background was boring, so she kept clicking through the files for one that could hold her interest.

“What are you up to?”

“Just watching some of these relaxation videos Andrea gave me.”

“Sounds like fun.”

“No, not really,” she laughed.

She kept going down the list but couldn't focus on relaxing when she just wanted to get next to Daryl again.

“So you still not telling me what's up next class?” he pried.

“It's a surprise, but you'll like it I think. If you feel better about it I can tell you,” she offered.

“No, that's OK.”

She clicked on the last in the list, and it had no title like the others did, it was just an MP4 file with random numbers. It was Merle and Andrea's living room, and after only a few minutes it was obvious that this was a video of them having sex.

“Jesus!” she exclaimed.

“What's wrong?” Daryl asked.

“I think Andrea sent me the wrong file by mistake.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, this is Merle and Andrea getting frisky!”

“Oh god! That's scary,” he laughed.

Carol turned off the volume to hide that she was watching it, it really wasn't scary at all.

“Yeah....” she answered in a far off voice.

“You're watching it aren't you?” he laughed.

“Maybe?”

Carol couldn't tear her eyes away, no matter how wrong she knew it was. Andrea was still dressed in panties and an undershirt and straddling Merle's lap, kissing him furiously. Carol wondered how messed up it was to be watching this, these were her best friends.

“You might be a little freaky after all, Carol,” Daryl teased.

“Don't you dare tell them,” she uttered.

“Your secret's safe with me,” he chuckled. “So, you still letting me take you out tomorrow night?”

“Definitely,” she answered, pausing the video.

“Well, I'll let you go do your thing there. I'm going for a run, but I'll pick you up tomorrow night at 7?”

“Perfect....I haven't been able to stop thinking about you,” she blurted out.

“I know the feeling,” he said, immediately.

She smiled, thinking of kissing him again.

“Have a good run.”

“Thanks. Goodnight, Carol.”

“Goodnight.”

She hung up the phone and unpaused the video. Nobody was here to see her do something so questionable and Daryl wouldn't tell on her.

Carol turned the sound back on and for some reason looked around the room as if she wasn't alone. Andrea was going to see her do sexual things, so it seemed fair to her, at least that's the excuse she told herself.

She could see why Merle was known to be so talented at this, he knew what he was doing, and it showed.

He trailed his hands up Andrea's thighs and held her ass as he kissed her. After a few minutes, he picked her up and lay her on the carpet and pulled off his shirt.

Carol's eyes went wide; she'd never seen him without a shirt on. She knew he was strong, but his body was more impressive than she had guessed.

Merle came down over Andrea and kissed her slow and soft all over her body. It all looked sweet and romantic, nothing crazy or kinky. It was just the two of them making love, but they were completely in tune, and it was actually really beautiful to see.

Andrea undid his pants and pulled them off slowly. Seeing Merle naked was a little like looking at her brother, and she tried desperately not to let the whole thing turn her on.

The look on Andrea's face and the tone of her voice as she moaned indicated no pain at all. The way Merle rolled his hips and pulled her leg up along the side of his waist as he fucked her made Carol feel fuzzy in the head. Andrea was in heaven; this is what it was supposed to be like. Carol watched as Merle claimed her and kissed her face, moving slow at first and holding her in his arms. It looked so different than if anyone were to see her and Ed. Most of the time he just did it, and she'd lay there rigid, praying for it to end. Ed was never loving like Merle or gentle like Daryl.

Carol wanted the kind of thing she was watching, and she wanted it with Daryl.

She knew all about his past, he had told her about it, but it didn't scare her. It probably should have made her unsure, but she was comfortable with it if he was still that man she didn't think he would have come clean about it. Nothing is ever set in stone but being with Daryl felt right.

Like Andrea had said, men are free to run whether you police them or not so why not trust until you have a reason not to.

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

**^Lesson Ten**

His hands ran up the outside of her thighs, and he kissed her knees softly and with only gentle pressure. When she looked up, there was a bright blue sky and treetops. A summer breeze floated over her bare skin, and she moaned as his tongue moved up her thigh.

“Just relax....” he whispered, and her eyes drifted closed.

His voice calmed her, and her breath came in like an ocean wave and out just the same. The sensation of his mouth, now on her hip bone, made her shudder but he held her firmly by the waist. His hands felt good, holding her steady, and not threatening.

He offered a low, “Shhhh....it's OK....”

It was too much. She felt her knees being nudged apart and she let it happen; she wanted it again so badly. She craved it now.

He kissed up her inner thigh, and his fingers touched her right where she wanted it. More of the same slow circular motion that had crippled her last time began to make her writhe and squirm.

“Mmmm.....that's so good...” she whined.

“Do you want it?” he asked.

“Mmmmm...yeah...”

“I want to taste you....will you let me?” he pleaded.

“God yes....please....”

 

Carol's eyes shot open, and she was startled by a car alarm outside her bedroom window. She had fallen asleep with the window open to enjoy the cool breeze, but now it had bitten her in the ass and ruined an amazing dream. She'd kill her neighbor with the alarm someday, but for now, she was left with wet panties and a need inside her so bad it throbbed.

Carol couldn't remember ever having a dream like this, not anywhere near this real anyway.

She closed her eyes and pulled up the quilt to her chin and decided there was no time like the present to give it another shot. Maybe she could do this alone. If Daryl could do it then surely she could too, it was her body after all.

She tried to bring back the dream in her mind and mimic what Daryl had done with his hand the other night. She took a slow breath and slid her hand into her underwear and found herself wet; it felt good to her.

She lay her fingers on either side of her clit because that's what he had done. She moved her fingers slowly and let her legs fall open against her pure white sheets.

She kept reminding herself that her mother was wrong and this wasn't naughty or bad. Andrea was right; masturbation was normal and good.

She could feel it rise, slow but steady, and she shifted around a little trying to bring it on stronger. She lifted one foot off the bed and continued with the touch and started to move her fingers faster. She imagined his mouth there and wondered what it would feel like.

Just the thought of it pushed her closer and closer.

Carol pulled her other foot up off the bed now, and this felt best of all. She let her legs lay wide open and started to moan; she couldn't help it.

In that very moment she imagined Daryl on top of her, and inside her, she imagined it feeling good. He'd go slow and gentle and whisper sweet things into her ear. It felt like she was going to have a heart attack, but she knew now that it was going to feel amazing if she could get there.

_Just relax....don't think of anything....just feel it..._

She could vividly recall his fingers on her now, and her eyes closed tight as she took another deep breath and then she was panting. She moved her fingers and adjusted her legs trying to get there. She found that bringing her knees just a little closer together for just a few seconds and then spreading them again slowly felt amazing. There it was...she was right there.

“Jesus!” she gasped, and her fingers moved even faster as it washed over her. It took her entire body hostage and for those magical 30 seconds or so her body was not hers. Her head pushed back into the pillow, and she continued to whine for a few moments, wanting more and more.

_I can do it myself! I can do it! I'm not broken!_

She finally had command of her own body; it was so liberating and exciting. She grinned to herself and rolled over in bed to savor her own afterglow.

 

###################

It was a day off for Carol, and she had plans to meet Andrea for lunch, so by noon she was getting her keys and things together to leave the house.

Andrea called just as she got in the car and asked if she could change their plans a little.

“Merle said Carmen is feeling really down and she doesn't have any girlfriends. Would it be a big deal if I asked her to come along?”

Carol didn't think they'd have much in common, but if Carmen was feeling down, she could hardly say no.

“Of course, that's totally fine. Where did you want to meet?”

“Angelo's if that works. Sorry, I just feel bad for her.”

“It's fine, seriously,” Carol assured her.

As it turned out Carmen was not what Carol expected, she really didn't know what she expected though. She was sweet, a little muddled, but very sweet.

“So you're demonstrating in Andrea's new class, hey? How you liking it?” Carmen asked.

Carmen was 24 and had wild brown curls everywhere, but they were restrained in a haphazard bun at the moment. She had very innocent looking eyes and full lips. Carol found her very pretty, but she did seem to be a tragic character who was looking for something in life and not finding it.

“I really like it so far. Learning a lot, that's for sure,” she laughed.

“Me too! I thought I knew everything there was to know about fucking, but it turns out I just knew the stuff that isn't worth knowing,” Carmen joked.

Andrea smiled and looked down at the table, amused by the volume Carmen was saying the word _fucking_ in one of the nicest Italian restaurants in town.

Carol laughed, Carmen was adorable with her frank way of speaking. This girl just had very different life experiences that most people. She was different, and Carol liked her instantly, as Merle and Andrea had.

“You're gonna love working with Merle; he knows just what he's doing. Hey Andrea?” she winked.

“Oh, she's not with Merle for this. It's Merle's brother, Daryl.”

“Really? Hope he's as good as Merle for ya.”

“I can't compare or anything but...he's just fine,” Carol answered, and realized her cheeks were feeling warm.

“How are you doing anyway, Carmen? You are staying away from this guy, right?” Andrea asked. Carmen had a history of being too forgiving with shitty boyfriends.

“I don't think he'll be coming around anymore. Merle told him he'll break his legs if he touches me again. I was pissed at first but Merle's right, I need to raise my standards.”

Carmen poked at the salad on her plate, and with her head pointed down, Carol could see the shadow of a black eye she had covered with makeup.

Andrea figured this was a good time to bring up her latest idea. She needed to know if she could count on Carmen's assistance with this and she was excited to see her reaction.

“I was actually wondering if you would consider a proposition, Carmen.”

“Sure, what is it?”

“I was talking with another researcher and therapist at the University last week, and we were playing around with the idea of creating a video series for my classes. Not every wants to go to a class, and not everyone has classes in their town so I was thinking maybe if you would consider-”

“Are you for real?” Carmen squealed.

“I'd want you to be involved. This researcher knows of a local production company that would likely be interested, and if it all works out, I could pay you enough to stop doing the work you don't like.”

“Why me though?” Carmen asked, looking utterly stunned.

“You're good at this, Carmen. It takes talent to do this kind of thing. I need someone who isn't afraid of the camera and someone with sensitivity. That's you.”

“Thank you, Andrea. Thanks so much!” Carmen exclaimed, she looked like she might cry.

Carmen smiled like she'd just won the lottery for the rest of lunch, her head was spinning with new possibilities.

“So what's going on in this new class?” Carmen asked.

“We're working on sex for people who are more reserved. The next class is on pleasing your man if you or he is shy.”

Carmen looked confused.

“There are guys who are shy about getting a blow job?”

“Believe it or not there are,” Andrea laughed.

“Huh!...You could just do it under the covers then, hey?” Carmen suggested.

“Actually that is one solution we're discussing. See? You're made for this work,” Andrea chuckled.

Carol couldn't help, but like this girl, she was unassuming and free-spirited if maybe a little a lost. She hoped she'd find a decent man and that the video series would work out. Andrea told her that Carmen was done with the adult industry, but the money was good and hard to walk away from.

They all talked for almost two hours about all kinds of subjects and really got to know each other.

Andrea and Carol watched afterward as Carmen walked off to catch the bus, she would never accept rides anywhere.

“I really like her,” Carol said, watching her wave and get on the bus.

“You can't help but love her, right?” Andrea agreed. “People have so many ideas of who people are based on what they do or their life experiences, but I'd trust that girl with my husband any day of the week. She's a good person.”

“You never mentioned this video thing before. I hope she can find a better life this way.”

“Me too. I think she will. She just needs someone to care, and Merle and I do. As soon as she sees she has other options she'll fly like a bird.”

“Did I ever tell you what an amazing person you are?” Carol was inches from crying. While many women only cared about jealousy and being better/prettier/smarter/more successful than other women Andrea was trying to help another woman. She got nothing back for it, Andrea only did it because she liked her. Carol loved and respected Andrea so much in that moment; it was inspiring.

“Tell her if she ever needs anything or wants to chat she can call me, give her my number.”

“I'm sure she'd love that, she doesn't have a lot of friends,” Andrea answered.

 

#####################

Daryl showed up at her door that evening looking so good she almost didn't want to go out. He had on a suit jacket with jeans, and she loved the look of it.

“Fancy,” she grinned.

“You look really nice,” he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

She felt pretty dressed down in jeans and heels with a black blouse, but he looked happy enough with it.

“Thanks. Where did you want to go?” she asked.

“Is O'Hanlon's OK?”

“That's fine.”

Carol replayed the dream as they drove and then all the things they were covering in the next class, and she was aroused instead of nervous for a change. Carol wanted so badly to make him feel good too.

She couldn't resist asking Carmen a few things before the end of a very educational lunch. Carmen was more than happy to share her understanding of male sexuality.

O'Hanlon's was quiet that evening, and they picked the corner table in the back just to add to the intimacy.

He ordered a Guinness, and she had a gin and soda with lime.

“I met Carmen today,” she began.

“Really, where?” he asked.

“Andrea brought her along for lunch; she's something else.”

“So I hear. Merle's all buddy/buddy with her. I don't get those two sometimes. I don't think anything could piss Andrea off. ”

“They seem to have an understanding between them that works, but I don't know if I could do it,” Carol admitted.

Daryl shook his head and sighed.

“You weren't even my girlfriend yet and the thought of you doing that one part of the class with Merle the other night bothered me.”

Carol's heart jumped, she knew there was something between them, but she loved the word girlfriend from his mouth. She still couldn't stop herself teasing him a little.

“Girlfriend? This is the first I'm hearing about it.”

“Oh...damn it. I'm sorry, I'm assuming things. I just thought that the other night when-”

“Daryl, I'm only kidding. I love it.”

“Don't do that to me,” he laughed.

“Sorry. I'll make it up to you,” she grinned.

“Yeah? I like the sound of that.”

Daryl leaned over the table and kissed her and took his sweet time. It was only them, the darkness and the bartender, so it was a perfect place and time to let it linger.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**^Lesson Eleven**

Thursday came around again, and Daryl got a call from Andrea as he was drying off and getting dressed, fresh from the shower.

“So, do you feel more or less nervous not knowing what is going to be happening?”

“I don't know, Andrea. More? Carol says I'll like it, so I'm not too worried, but there are people there so....I don't know.”

“It'll be fine. It's tamer than what I had planned anyway, so there's that,” she laughed.

“I'm picking her up right away, so I'll see you in a bit. Merle isn't coming tonight, is he?”

“Nope. I told him you'd be more comfortable without him there. Right?”

“Definitely.”

Daryl pulled up outside Carol's house a little while later and out she walked with a black dress and bare legs with sandals. She looked so good he wanted to skip class and take her back inside.

“Hey,” she said, sliding across the seat to kiss him quickly.

He had taken it slow all week, it had never gone this slow for him but he liked it. The anticipation was 1 part pain and 1 part bliss and he didn't mind at all. They had a pretty fun make out session a few nights before at his place where she managed to get off again and she touched him a back a little. A lot of the time they had together was spent talking about music or TV or what was going on in the class. They talked about some of their past but a lot of it was just simply getting to know each other type conversation.

As much as it killed him he knew he could wait, she was worth it. When she was ready he had a feeling it would be the best he ever had cause it would mean something for a change. The way things were going it might mean everything.

Class got going, and Andrea made some interesting points about relationships and shyness, she seemed to have endless ideas.

“A lot of shyness has to do with insecurity about how you look, your ability to please your partner, level of experience or your past. Things in your past can easily affect the way you feel in new relationships. Overcoming those feelings takes work and a patient and caring partner. There are many ways to modify sexual acts to make them easier and even more fun in some cases.”

It felt like she was talking about him and Carol, maybe she was, but it probably applied to a lot of other people too.

Andrea did a group discussion and answered some questions and Daryl started looking more nervous.

Carol leaned over to him and whispered that she would tell him everything.

“No, it's OK. I trust you,” he insisted.

She smiled and hoped he'd like it. Andrea was right; she was insecure about being able to please him. She didn't have very much experience in this department.

She had discussed it at length with Andrea before class and Andrea told her to go with her gut and if she didn't want to do anything for class they could just do discussion or watch a video on another subject. Carol decided it was time for her to go for it and see what happened. She had been doing a lot of research and reading and had a pretty good idea how it all worked. Talking to Carmen had been most invaluable though.

 

“After reading everyone's answers on the sheets I handed out I realized that, for some people, having too much detail in advance can create more nervous tension. Some people like heavy anticipation but for shy people this can translate into anxiety. Hearing every little detail of what your partner wants to do can make the problem worse because then you over think it. We tried not letting Daryl know what's happening tonight to test this theory. As long as you know your partner will stop whenever you say so this might work for you. What works for one person may not for another so this class is about throwing ideas at you for you to try and see what works best in your case.”

A woman in the class noticed them holding hands and asked if they were seeing each other now and Carol nodded.

“That's awesome; we've all been shipping you two.”

“Pfft!” Daryl answered with a shrug of his shoulders and a slight smile. This was the strangest kind of attention he'd ever received.

When the time came for Carol to fill him in on the plan she had him sit on the couch at the back wall of the studio. The room was small enough that everyone could still see from their tables.

Carol got into position, straddling his thighs and started to kiss him as Andrea began to explain. Her heart raced and she felt her skin prickle from nerves but she wanted so badly to return the pleasure to him. Something about the pressure of trying to show something to the class helped and she couldn't help enjoying being watched.

“Never underestimate what you can do for your partner in a dress. This class is going to focus on making men happy who are shy or have shy partners. In a dress you can get a lot accomplish while still mostly covered up. If you are not confident with your body for any reason there's no reason you can't still make your partner happy while mostly covered.”

Daryl swallowed hard as his hands moved up her thighs to her hips. He damn near died when he realized there was nothing under the dress. She kissed his neck and he groaned and grabbed her in his hands rolling her toward him.

Daryl didn't give a shit who was there right then, they could all take notes as far as he was concerned. He'd thought of her every single night that week as he jerked off and told himself he'd keep waiting. He would wait happily but when he had the chance he'd kiss her and touch her like he meant it, class or no class.

To his absolutely astonishment she shrugged her shoulders out of her dress and then her full white breasts were in his face. She had her back to the class but it was more than obvious when he reached for them and started to kiss her bare chest.

Carol hadn't been planning to do it but she wanted to surprise him a little, and from this angle, the class could really only see her back.

Daryl held his hands on her bare skin just below her neck, and the class sat stunned and wide eyed at the scene before them.

“So, as you can see it's a versatile position for anyone who doesn't want to get completely nude for whatever reason. This a way for a reserved woman to please her man. They could easily have sex in this position, really anything they wanted but we're not doing that here tonight,” Andrea laughed.

Daryl knew damn well they'd be asked to move on soon and he didn't want to, he was enjoying her breasts just fine. What he really wanted was for the class to go away so they could really turn up the heat. Andrea let it continue a while longer as she talked to the class more and answered some questions.

It was surprisingly easy to block out that anyone else was around. Carol was all he could focus on at the moment.

“You're making me crazy,” he whispered.

“Sorry....but I'm about to make you crazier right away.”

“Jesus....what are you doing next?” he panted, as she rolled her hips over his hard dick through his pants.

Everyone in the class was focused on them, many were squirming, and some were grinning.

“So next, some women feel very uncomfortable being watched as they please their partners, even if they've been together a long time. There are always ways around this.”

Daryl knew this was when class would get a little crazier. Carol pulled her dress back up over her shoulders and grinned at him as he sat wishing she'd take it back off.

She leaned forward and grabbed a wide scarf from the back of the couch and draped it around her shoulders. She kissed slowly down his neck and chest and undid the buttons of his shirt as she went.

He was burning inside, and even though it was weird he couldn't stop her for the life of him, he wanted her touch so bad.

She draped the scarf over her head and lay hot, open mouth kisses on his skin. His head fell back to rest on the couch and he couldn't give a fuck who was there. His own mother could be in the room and she'd just have to wait.

Carol moved between his legs, set her feet on the floor and kissed from the waist of his jeans up to his neck. She touched him through his pants under the scarf where he could feel it, but nobody could see.

He moaned and touched her head through the scarf.

“Also from this position with a skirt or dress she could lean over his lap allowing him to touch her while she gives him oral. Obviously he could go down on her as well in a dress and it's all just a little more discreet but that's maybe for another day. Any questions?”

Nobody said a word and Andrea dismissed them for the night. Daryl and Carol didn't hear a word of it but found themselves alone in the studio within a few minutes as Andrea had a smoke outside and chatted to students before they left. The light was turned out as Andrea exited and Carol was quite sure they were going to be allowed some alone time before leaving.

She was determined to make him feel good and she felt so ready to try. She wasn't sure when they'd have sex but she didn't think it would be too long at this rate. She did want to get him off once first at least before they got to that point. She wanted to prove to herself she could. She was well aware this wasn't a competition and she wanted to please him mostly to make him happy.

“God, that's so good!” he groaned.

She could feel his legs tense up and relax as he squirmed his hips on the couch.

She pulled the scarf down enough to look up at him and then slowly undid his belt. His eyes went wide, and he looked over at the door.

“She won't come back in here,” Carol assured him. She knew Andrea; she would definitely leave them be right now.

She got the fly of his jeans down and took the waist of his pants in her hands. He lifted his body for her to pull them down just enough.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked, looking concerned.

“I'm sure...I want to try to make you feel good.”

“Something tells me you'll be more than able to,” he uttered.

She gave him a devilish grin as she covered her head back up with the scarf and touched his hard dick with her warm hand. She slid down till her knees rested on the floor between his feet.

His dick was hot to the touch and hard like stone and she moved her hand slowly up and down as he continued to squirm. It was partially guess work and partially info she had taken in over the last few weeks. She wet her right hand with saliva as Carmen had instructed and slowly began using her mouth at the end. Carmen said to use her hand and her mouth at the same time so she figured she'd try that first.

It was a hell of a conversation to have in Angelo's, but Carmen was a goldmine of information on the subject.

“Jesus Christ, Carol....” he groaned, reaching for her shoulder over the scarf.

She smiled and kept going and every few strokes she'd let her tongue move over the head of his dick as she had read in a book. There were so many techniques floating through her head but in the end she just listened to his breathing and the way he moaned and moved when she did certain things. It became pretty obvious what he liked and she kept it up slow and then gradually increased in speed and pressure.

“Mmmm....that's soooo nice,” he sighed.

Carol increased the speed a little but kept it gentle and soon he was pushing her shoulder to back her up.

She assumed he'd had enough and so she moved just in time for him to cum all over the scarf.

“Fuuuuuuck me!” he gasped.

Carol smiled and wanted to punch the air. It felt like a bit of a victory for her, even though she knew that was likely the wrong way to think of it.

Carol got up and sat next to him on the couch. She leaned her head on his shoulder as he pulled his pants up and buckled his belt.

“Thanks.....that's was amazing...” he panted.

“More than happy to, you are my boyfriend after all,” she grinned.

“You just wait till I return the favor,” he teased. “Actually, how about it? You wanna come back to my place, and I'll see if I can make you happy too?”

Carol felt a pang of anxiety, but she knew damn well she wanted to try.

“OK,” she smiled as they got up and walked to the door, picking up their coats along the way.

“It can wait if you don't want to yet,” he said.

“No, we can try....I think it'll be OK...I think.”

“You should leave the dress on, it's sexy like that,” he suggested.

They walked passed Andrea on the way to his car, and she thanked them for a job well done. Carol had the scarf balled up in her purse; it was only decent to wash it before giving it back.

“Anytime!” Daryl answered, opening the door for Carol. “Anytime at all!”

 

 

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

**^Lesson Twelve**

Carol was riding on the high of pleasing him; it made her feel sexually capable, which for her was a very big thing. Spending so much of her adult life feeling like a square peg in a round hole, sexually, had her believing for a long time that it could never change. Being with Daryl made her feel so many different things, safe, nervous, warm, beautiful, sensual and excited.

Daryl drove like he was on a mission and it made her even hotter. His eyes were focused on the street ahead, and he was borderline speeding all the way. He stopped at a red light and sighed, his impatience was palpable.

She grinned when he licked his lips unconsciously; it was so sexy she could have jumped him right there. It was then that she began to wonder what the true nature of her issues were. Was it shyness? Or was it more a fear of physical discomfort or pain? She found that she didn't feel especially shy with Daryl and there had to be a reason why.

He pulled up at his house and nodded to her.

"Come on," he uttered.

She got out and walked around the car to meet him, and he pulled her down the path by her hand. He had a sexy determination in the way he walked, and she loved how hurried he was.

The very second the door closed, he locked it and pressed her to the wall without even turning on the lights.

He kissed her feverishly while apologizing profusely for coming on too strong.

"It's OK...I like it," she panted.

He bit at her throat and reached his hand under her dress to touch her thigh.  
She let out a moan and pulled her leg up around his waist. She felt him press his body to hers and before she knew it, he was making his way down to her chest and pulling the straps of her dress off her shoulders. Her head rolled back against the wall behind her, and he ran his hot tongue over her bare skin.

She felt needy in the worst way already, and she was half expecting him to stay kissing her right there or proceed to the couch but he had other plans.  
"Can I take you to my bed? Just say no if you aren't into it...I can wait..." he uttered, between kisses across her chest.  
"Do you want to have sex?" she asked, breathlessly. She couldn't help wanting to know exactly what he had in mind.

"No, I just wanted to make you feel good too. After that class I couldn't have sex right now if I tried," he chuckled.

She kissed him back once and then looked into his eyes for a moment. There was no doubt that he wouldn't hurt her or make her feel bad or refuse to stop if she asked. There was nothing standing in the way of this; all the boxes were ticked.

He walked down the hall to his room, and she followed. He didn't turn on the light and waited for her to sit on the edge of the bed.

"You know I won't ever be rough with you, right?"

"I know that...that's why I'm here with you," she answered, looking up into his eyes. She trusted him.  
"My ex never did this once," she admitted.

"Good," he said, adamantly.

The way he said 'good' made her think. For a moment she wondered why it mattered to him or why it was good, but he explained.

"By the sound of it, he would have just messed it up and hurt you anyway."

"So you're good at this?" she asked, softly.

He came and sat next to her, and she could tell he was wondering how to answer such a question.

"Yeah, I'm good," he answered finally.

His cool, but not cocky, confidence made her melt inside. It felt like her dream, he wasn't taking control of her he just had control of himself, and his aim was on making her feel good.

She moved back on his bed till her head was resting on his pillows and then nudged him with her foot.

He turned to her and grinned,"You ready?"

"I think so."

Carol kept her eyes on him and had a split second flashback to sitting on the edge of her own bed looking at her own body for the first time. She very slowly moved her right leg open and could feel his eyes trailing from her ankle to her upper thigh.

His face said it all.

"Good lord, Carol..."

He got down on his hands and knees on the bed and crawled toward her, like a man desperate for water at a cool spring.

"You're so beautiful."

She closed her eyes and let her head fall back onto the pillow. It smelled of his aftershave and his sweat, and she felt enveloped in him.

He kissed her ankle, and she shifted because it tickled, as much as she wanted it her nerves were still completely alight.

He brought his hands slowly up her thighs moving them apart as he went.

She moaned as he took her right thigh in his strong hand and kissed his way up to her stomach, sliding her dress up further as he went. Carol had never left the house without underwear before, so much had changed in her life in only a few weeks. He kisses across her stomach from one hip bone to the other. She almost wished he'd hurry but this was a first, so it was well worth savoring.

Daryl slid his hands under her open thighs and held onto her waist as he finally brought his mouth to her lips.

She was expecting licking, but first, there were slow, wet kisses and she groaned and looked down at him. His face was half hidden by her dress, and she closed her eyes again and decided to just feel it instead. Looking at what he was doing was too hot to handle.

His tongue was so smooth and wet that it felt strange but so good. She felt, the now familiar, pull in her stomach and whined into her bent arms laying over her face.  
"Jesus..." she whispered, her legs tensing up.  
"Breathe...don't cum yet..." he begged.

She took some breaths and tried to hold back the storm, but it was hard to keep it in.

Carol felt him nudged her lips apart with his tongue and teased her clit slow and hot like flowing lava.

"Mmmm..."

Her legs were stiff, pressing against his shoulders, it was still so foreign and new that her body had a mind of its own.

"Relax..." he said, running his hands down the outside of her thighs and she obeyed, laying them open to him.

His tongue, his lips, the scruff of the stubble on his chin it was all encompassing.

He loved doing this, she could feel it in the way he was touching her. His movements were enthusiastic and yet so tender. This was so far from pain; this was the opposite of agony, this was life itself.

He held her hips firm and moved his mouth back and forth slowly over her skin, and she broke.

Her back arched and she whined into the dimness, long and unabashedly.

He kept it up but eased off steadily, as she came back down from it all. He drank of her, and her thighs shivered from the whole experience.

There was a good five minutes of silence where he just held her and looked up at the ceiling. She trusted him, and he loved it. Getting so close to a woman who only a few weeks ago was dumping guys for trying to put their arms around her made him feel special.

"Can you stay tonight?" he asked.

She'd knew she'd have to rush in the morning, but there's no way she wanted to leave now.

"Yeah, I can stay,"

He pulled the quilt over them both and soon she was sleeping in his arms.

Carol didn't recognize her life with Daryl in it, but it was not a bad thing. Now that things had gone so far it was becoming more about emotions and little less about sexual acts. She hoped nothing would change with them and that maybe they'd end up like Merle and Andrea.

She crawled out of his bed at 6am to go home and get ready for work, and he reached around the sheets, feeling for her with his eyes closed.

"Leaving already?" he groaned.

"Have to go home and get ready for work."

"Come here a second," he said, pulled her close to kiss her goodbye.

"I'll call you tonight then? That was a...amazing."  
"Yeah, for me too. I didn't push you?" he asked.

"No, I'm fine. It was perfect. I knew you'd wait if I wasn't ready...that made all the difference."

"I'm not going anywhere, Carol. You slam on the breaks any time you need to."

Daryl groaned and stretched and got out of bed too.

"You can go back to sleep. It's still early," she insisted.

"No, I drove you here, I'll drive you home. I don't want you to have to call a cab."

He threw on some track pants and a t-shirt and picked her up some coffee on the way back to her house.

"Call me later," he said, as she got out.

"I will; have a good Friday."

Daryl watched her walk up the path to her door, and he was sure this was it, they just worked together.

#########################

Work was an absolute blur, and the moment she got the bulk of her duties out of the way she called Andrea.

"Hey, babe. So, how was your night?"

"Amazing...he's amazing."

"Sounds good," Andrea laughed. "You two seem to be moving right along."

"I know he wants more, but I know he'll wait if I need it. It's working so far," Carol noted.

"So you didn't...?"

"No, he said he couldn't after the class anyway, but I want to work up to it anyway. All of this stuff is pretty new to me; I don't want to rush. Everything with him seems too perfect; it's like I should be waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"I don't think so. It's smart to stay reasonably guarded, but he seems genuinely into you. Not every man would jump into taking a class like this with a stranger. Merle says he thinks Daryl fell in love with your picture on our fridge and that's why he said yes," Andrea laughed.

Carol felt better about it after talking to Andrea. The strange thing about everything going well in life is wondering how long it will last. Carol assumed she was being paranoid because every sign pointed to the positive.

 


	13. Chapter 13

**^Lesson Thirteen**

The sky looked brighter, and Carol walked around with a lightness in her step. The feeling that she had been broken while everyone else wasn't was fading faster than she expected.

The memory of last night lingered in her mind, and it was like sweet torture wondering how long it would be before she could touch him again.

With Daryl, it all seemed to be happening so fast, but she was eager to make up for lost time. Letting someone close and having them not only accept her but want her the way he did was life changing.

Work was a nuisance; she spent the day making calls, pushing paper and imagining Daryl in his coveralls at the garage, she bet he looked great in them.

Half way through her day at work she was distracted from a fantasy by a call from her mother, and it was not a good call.

“Carol, someone named Adeline is calling for you?”

“Oh....sorry. Can you transfer it to my desk?”

Her mother always called her company instead of her cell phone. She must have reminded her 100 times, but there it was.

“Hi, Mom, what's up?”

“It's your Auntie....she died! You have to come right away, honey. I need you here.”

Her mother was known to be a touch hysterical, and Carol had no idea how to tell her it was not a great time to come. She'd have to negotiate with her boss for unexpected time off, and she wasn't big on allowing this kind of thing.

“Mom, I...” she hesitated.

She only had a week of vacation time but how do you say no when someone dies? Her mother was falling apart and crying over the phone and Carol understood it was her only sister, but it was still tricky.

“I'll try to but it's very short notice, and I need to talk to my boss.”

Her mother spent the next 10 minutes guilt tripping her into agreeing to come back home for the week. She would miss the next class for the funeral of a woman who had once called her a heathen for skipping church while recovering from surgery. The fact that she didn't even go to church anymore was a secret she kept from both her mom and Aunt; it wasn't worth the headache. Her mom's sister was the other orthodox member of the family while the rest were quite cool with her.

It was a bad time for her to be leaving, she was in the middle of fixing a huge personal problem she'd struggled with for years. She hoped leaving for a week would disrupt anything with class or with Daryl.

Carol dreaded the 2-hour drive back to the small town she was raised in to attend the funeral of her Aunt, who never showed her any real respect. Carol had always been obedient and never voiced her discontent with the way her Aunt, Mom or Dad judged her, that may have to change though. She felt like a different person already, and she was proud of who she was.

####################

“It's only a week, everything will still be here when you get back,” Daryl insisted.

“Andrea says Merle and Carmen can take over the class for us. Are you still going?” she asked.

“I don't want to go without you, and the last thing I need to see is my brother fondling Carmen.”

Carol laughed and understood his point of view even though she had quite enjoyed seeing Merle and Andrea together.

“I guess so. This couldn't have come at a worse time for me; I feel like I'm finally getting somewhere.”

“It'll go fast. I'll miss you though,” he said, pulling her closer on the couch. It was already 9pm, and she had to get her bag packed before leaving in the morning. He had stopped over to say goodbye as soon as she texted him that she had to leave town.

“I wish I could come with you, but I have no vacation time,” he said.

“It's going to be awful. My aunt hated me, but it's my Mom's only sister, so she's losing it now, so I get to go and hold all the pieces together.”

“Why did she hate you?” he asked, wondering how anyone could hate her, especially a relative.

“I guess hate might be too strong a word, but she was very judgmental and liked to make me feel guilty for everything. Both she and my mom were always backward about sex, and I was a virgin when I got married for Christ's sake. My aunt caught me kissing my boyfriend in a car when I was 16 and never let it go, it's ridiculous,” she laughed.

“Sounds like a long week. When you get back everything will be just the same, don't worry.”

“It better be. I've come so far already,” she sighed.

“You'll see, it's going to be fine. I ain't going anywhere.”

“I sure hope not,” she said, leaning down to kiss him.

This was the last thing she wanted and the last place she wanted to go, but she had always been the good girl who could never say no.

###################

Andrea met with her friend Lauren Daniels at the University and started getting the ball rolling with the video series. The production company was small and local, so there was less red tape than normally went along with a project like this, just a simple contract.

Lauren had worked with them previously on an educational video and didn't foresee a lot of hassle involved. The company produced a lot of instructional type videos for training courses and medical resources, it was hardly Hollywood, but it would help get her message out to people and maybe give Carmen another shot in life.

By the time Andrea got home, she had a good feeling about the whole thing and decided to call Carmen to ask her to do class with Merle in place of Daryl and Carol and also let her know about the project.

She kicked off her shoes and poured a glass of wine to celebrate; she was excited.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Carmen.”

“Thank God it's you.”

“Who were you expecting?” Andrea asked, although she had an idea.

“Andrew is being a dick again. He told all his friends that I had Merle threatened him and he showed up on set and almost got me fired. I'm sick of my life!”

Andrea wasn't the least bit surprised to hear the ex was giving her a hard time again.

“I'm so sorry, Hun. Is there anything I can do?”

“No, it's just my stupid life,” she sighed.

“Let me know if I can help, OK?”

“Yeah, thanks. You're the best, Andrea.”

“Well, the production is going ahead so.....you in?” Andrea asked, hoping it would brighten her day.

“I'm so in! That's awesome!”

“I was calling to ask a favor too, but I don't want to bother you?”

“What's the favor? You know I'll say yes,” Carmen laughed.

“Daryl and Carol can't make the next class so I was wondering if you'd fill in with Merle. If you're busy, it's totally fine.”

“I can do it. What is it anyway?”

“Super innocent and easy, it's basically just a free back rub,” Andrea laughed.

“Fuck, that's what I could really use. I still can't believe you pay me for this.”

“You do a great job, what can I say,” Andrea laughed. #################

The drive to her hometown on a beautiful Saturday morning felt like being dragged into the corner for a time out.

The day with her mother was long, and she tried not to be selfish. She attempted to focus her attention on her mom's grief, but through all the tears she still found room for criticism. Her mother didn't approve of her new relationship before she even meeting Daryl and she was hardly shocked. As soon as she knew he was Merle's brother, that was it. She didn't approve of Merle and Andrea's lifestyle at all. Little did her mother know they were the kindest, most giving people she'd ever met.

“I'm turning in, Mom, it's been a long day.”

“OK, we need to go through your Aunt's room at the care home tomorrow, so it'll be another long one tomorrow,” he mother informed her.

“Ugh! Alright. Goodnight, Mom.”

Carol was sadder than she expected to be away from Daryl. She missed his voice and by the time she was done dealing with her grieving mother she just needed to talk to him. She was standing in her old room and felt miserable while getting ready for bed.

“Hey,” she said when he picked up.

“God, I miss you,” he started, right out of the gate.

“Me too. How was your day?” she asked, trying to make small talk.

“I just missed you all day, so you have to come back,” he laughed.

“Soon. To be honest, I don't even know why I'm here, all she does is try to get at me. She asked who I'm seeing and as soon as she found out you're Merle's brother she has an issue. I swear I won't make it the whole week.”

“Wow! I've never been on the mother's shit list before even meeting her, not that I've met many moms.”

“It's no problem. I always did everything she wanted and just ended up miserable, so now I'm doing it my way whether she likes it or not.”

“Good for you, you gotta make your own way in life,” he agreed.

“So true. Speaking of bed, I'm stuck in mine from when I was a kid. I wish you were here with me.”

“Kinky,” he joked. “Is it a little bed with pink sheets and teddy bears?”

“You're so close it's scary. My girl scout uniform is in the closet, and my violin is still here. I just want to get home so bad,” she whined.

“That's gotta be weird. You play the violin?”

“I used to. I don't even know if I still can.”

“Lemme hear it,” he pressed.

She sighed and put her phone on speaker.

“Gimme a second of screeching here; it's probably way out of tune.”

“Go for it.”

She finally got the old strings something like tuned and then found the only sheet of music left in the folder.

“This is Offenbach 'Belle nuit, o nuit d'amour'.”

“Never heard of it, but it sounds sexy when you say it,” he chuckled.

“It's from _Life is Beautiful_ , that's my favorite movie.”

She began to play, and he fell silent, taking in the sound. He could tell it was a beautiful piece of music even though he had no knowledge of this genre; classical was hardly his cup of tea. When it ended he didn't even know what to say; he was rarely left speechless by music.

“It all came back to me, I can't even believe it,” she exclaimed.

“That was beautiful! Why did you stop playing?” he asked.

“Ed said it gave him headaches.”

“Will you bring it back with you and play for me?” he asked. He wanted to watch her play and hear more of it.

“Sure, if you really want.”

“Yes, please. I like it.”

“I can't wait to see you again, and it hasn't even been a full day. I swear I'm not crazy,” she sighed.

“If you're crazy then so am I cause I want you back here right now.”

They talked until her mother banged on the door an hour later and complained about the laughing. Carol couldn't take much more of the misery if her mother kept pushing it.

“I better let ya go,” he sighed.

“I guess so, this is ridiculous.”

“Only a week,” he said.

“Only a week, goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

########################

 

**The week goes quick. I'm no into long separations of our two love birds:) (not like AMC, lol) They'll be back together very soon. Still sick so hopefully the editing isn't too rough. Love you guys, Teagan. Xoxo**

**If the editing is lacking, it's because I'm still hacking my brains out. I promise I'll finish this story before I croak though my babies. lol**

 


	14. Chapter 14

**^Lesson Fourteen**

Carmen hung out down at the adult store, chatting with the owner and waiting for class to start. When Merle saw her through the window, he noticed she looked more stressed than normal.

“You coming for a smoke?” he called from the door.

“Yeah,” she said, following him to the parking lot.

Merle lit a smoke for Andrea and then Carmen.

“What's up with you tonight?” he asked.

“I had to change my number. Every idiot I break up with can't seem to take 'leave me the fuck alone' for an answer.”

“You should let me set you up with someone. You suck at picking men,” Merle teased.

Carmen laughed hysterically cause she couldn't deny it.

“Merle knows a few really good guys; you should let him. How about Shane or Bob?” Andrea asked.

“Shane's not single anymore, but Bob is a good guy,” Merle agreed.

“I'll trust you, Merle. I can't seem to find anyone good for me,” Carmen sighed.

Class was nice and calm and simple and contained more information than normal. It could be a bit much to squeeze a lot of demo into every class.

Merle and Carmen showed them basic meditation, and Carmen got a sorely needed back rub.

Andrea knew she just needed a break and to relax, so she told Merle to take his time with it. Andrea would never get her head around anyone hitting Carmen; it had happened before. Her stepfather hitting her is part of the reason she needed to leave home and required money so young in the first place, porn had never been a first choice. Andrea hoped with the new project it would give her time to get out of the industry and into a new direction. An alternate source of income, while she went back to school or just found something else, was all Andrea could offer, and she hoped it was enough.

By the time everyone said goodbye and Merle, Andrea and Carmen left it was close to 9pm, and they decided to go for a quick drink to chat.

Carmen looked happier and was laughing again when her ex walked in and ruined it all. Carmen always came to the same bar with them after class, so she wasn't hard to find apparently. Merle had enough and stood up with a look in his eyes like he just wanted to be pushed.

“Merle, just ignore him,” Carmen started.

Apparently, her ex had a death wish though because just as Merle sat back down, he gave him the finger, and that was it.

“Merle, don't!” Andrea attempted, knowing it was no use, Merle was already walking toward him.

“Out!” he growled, taking Carmen's ex by the ear.

Andrew had a crowd of buddies with him, but they were younger guys who were all bark and no bite, not a match for Merle at all.

“You gonna kick all our asses, Grandpa?” Andrew began, with a smug laugh.

“No, just you. When I'm done with you, these pussies won't dare come near me.”

Merle shoved him against the brick wall of the bar in the alley and punched him in the gut. Andrew folded, dropping to his knees, and coughed a few times.

“You still calling her and making her change her number? You like to hit women? Does it make you feel like a man?” Merle shouted.

“What the fuck do you care? You're married!” Andrew defended as all his friends just stood and watched.

“Carmen's my friend, and nobody is messing with a friend of mine.”

Merle gave him another good punch right in the side of his face to be sure he'd have a black eye like the one he gave Carmen.

“Have you learned your lesson, Son? You don't call her, show up at her job, her house or anywhere else or you'll be seeing me again. That's a promise.”

“Fuck you, man! She's just a slut!” he shouted.

Merle just looked at him, surprised with his balls, and dropped him to the ground with one more solid punch to the ribs.

“You're just a little boy with a bunch of angry words. Real men don't hurt women, ya piece of shit!”

Merle smirked and turned to walk away knowing his friends wouldn't dare try anything. Andrew's eye would be a reminder of tonight, and Merle just hoped this was it.

“What happened?” Carmen exclaimed the moment he came back in.

“Nothing, we just had a chat,” he said, rubbing his fist.

“Merle,” Andrea said, with her eyebrows raised.

“He'll be fine, as long as he puts ice on it and leaves her alone in the future.”

Andrea leaned in and kissed him hard and pulled him close.

“You're a good man.”

“All yours, honey,” he winked.

 

#####################

Thursday night came, and Carol was stuffing her things into her bag. She couldn't wait to get back to her life and away from the judgmental glares and comments.

“I can't wait to see you again,” Carol whined into the phone.

“Me too. I've been thinking of you the whole time.”

“I'm leaving a day early actually; things aren't going well with my mom.”

“No? What's going on?” he asked.

“She's just making little comments about me being friends with Andrea and Merle and about being with you. I never wanted her to know about Andrea's classes cause I knew she couldn't handle it but she came across Andrea's work online, and now she knows everything. She thinks they're depraved sex perverts,” Carol laughed.

“I didn't really get what they did before either, but they actually do a lot of good. It's a shame other people can't see it.”

“I know. She definitely helped me.”

“She helped us both. I've been learning a lot of stuff too. God! I just wanna get my hands on you again. You coming back in the morning?”

“Yes, I'm leaving early. I can't wait to get out of here.”

 

#####################

“You're leaving already?” her mom asked, when she saw her dragging her suite case down the stairs.

“Yes, I just need to get back.”

“I hope you'll consider what I said. You don't need friends like this, Carol. It's bad enough you're divorced, but you'll have trouble finding a new husband when you're associating with people like that. I just want to see you happy.”

“Mom....I'm already happy.”

“Uh huh,” she countered.

“I am. I only just met Daryl, but he understands me and treats me better than Ed ever did. He's kind and patient and gentle. I'm happy.”

“Yes, but look at the behavior of his brother and his wife. They're swingers for crying out loud! Do you want to get cheated on?”

“They are not swingers, Mom. I know that you don't understand all this and I'm trying to see it from your side but these are good people and they mean a lot to me. If you love me, you'll trust my judgment.”

“You've already made mistakes, Carol. I'm trying to look out for you. Isn't that my job? I am your mother.”

“Everyone makes mistakes but staying with Ed was not the answer. He hurt me, I know I never told you that because it's very personal but he was very rough with me, and I couldn't take it anymore. I'm 30 now; it's not your job anymore to protect me. Just trust me cause I'm tired of the criticism. It makes me not want to visit, to be honestly. I'm sorry, Mom, but I'm happy, and I want you to be happy for me.”

Carol picked up her suitcase and hugged her goodbye. The only option she had was to get it all out at once, it was a rambling mess, but she felt better already. Her mother said nothing and watched her leave with a stunned expression. Carol spent her life not speaking up, and she didn't like conflict, but she had to have her say because, if it was up to her, Daryl was in her life to stay.

 

All the way back to the city her heart raced with excitement to see him again. She put on some music and looked at her violin case next to her on the seat. There was still music inside her, and she had a lot of years to move on and forget the past. When she got back and started to unpack, she texted him at work.

_**~ I'm back in the city. Hope I can see you tonight.** _

_**~ you just try and stop me seeing you tonight. This has been a looooooong week. Can you come over at 7? I have something planned for tonight actually.** _

_**~ Sure. I'll see you then:)** _

 

 

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

**^Lesson Fifteen**

Daryl got off work an hour early when Merle agreed to cover for him. He wanted everything to be perfect for her coming back. She had done something to him, and he could only think of getting her back in his arms.

One half of him wanted her body so bad it hurt, and the other half just wanted to see her smiling face and hold her. Maybe this was love; he figured it very likely was.

He stopped by the store on the way home and wandered the isles trying to think of something he could cook her without fucking it up. He called Andrea for ideas, and she suggested pasta, so he went with that.

“She's a sucker for white lilies, gin and soda with lime and the movie Life is Beautiful. Just in case, you're wondering.”

“She mentioned that movie. She played a song from it on her violin for me over the phone, but I can't find it anywhere.”

“It's an Italian film with subtitles,” Andrea explained.

“I'll find it somewhere if she likes it so much.”

He picked up a jar of sauce and squinted at the label wondering what she'd like best.

“I didn't even know she played an instrument. Hope it all goes well, Daryl, she really likes you.”

“I really like her too, more than I ever liked any woman.”

Something about the waiting made him really think about how he felt for her.

He continued pushing the cart around the store and girl-talking with Andrea.

“I'm not moving too fast with her, am I?” he asked.

“She'll let you know, but I don't think so. You two seem really well matched.”

“It must be serious. I'm really considering baking her something.”

Andrea laughed and let him get back to his shopping, warning him not to burn the house down.

 

Daryl got home at 5, put her gin in the freezer and cleaned up the house.

He had looked up a recipe on his phone, while wandering around the store, for chocolate lava cake and decided it looked simple enough. She told him she loved chocolate so he'd give it a shot anyway.

He cranked up some Smashing Pumpkins and got cooking. He used coffee cups instead of measuring cups and tablespoons instead of measuring spoons; he guessed his way through it. Pasta was fairly easy, and he got that going well enough. He made garlic toast and got it all on the table by 7pm. It looked like a bit of a shambles, and somehow he had used every dish in the house. Hopefully, she'd appreciate the effort though. All he thought of all week was seeing her again, he felt kinda giddy and nervous, but it was good.

Daryl didn't do things like this; he thought all this stuff was a waste of time before. Merle would go on and on about connecting with Andrea on a spiritual level and all this nonsense that sounded like bullshit to him, until now. He wanted to know everything there was to know about Carol.

Ever since the first time she trusted him enough to touch her and make her cum he knew there was something more between them, it wasn't just sexual. He shared something with her she'd never experienced before, and he felt like it bonded them to each other. She'd been hurt before, and here she was letting him get so close, he felt an obligation to show her he was worthy of that trust.

He ran quickly to get changed into something decent and answered the door when she knocked.

“Hey,” he said, feeling out of breath and nervous about the questionable cake in his oven.

She walked right into his arms and kissed him; he loved this whole girlfriend thing.

“Something smells good!” she said, unbuttoning her coat.

“I cooked supper,” he said with pride.

“That is so sweet, thank you.”

“Just sit down at the table, I'm making you a drink.”

She was very close to saying _Awwww!_ but didn't want to sound patronizing; he had obviously gone to a lot of effort.

He had candles on the table and a tablecloth that was obviously meant for Christmas time. There were white lilies on the counter, and she sat down waiting for him to join her. The food looked great, but he looked a little flustered.

He handed her a gin and soda with lime, and she shook her head slowly.

“This is the nicest thing a man has ever done for me.”

As it turned out he was a pretty good cook, he tried so hard, and she could see it.

His cake even worked out fine, and she raved about it, making him feel good.

“You've never baked anything before? I never would have known,” she complimented.

“No, I don't even think I did it right, but it tasted OK, right?”

“It was perfect.”

She finished her drink, and they sat down in the living room to digest for a while. The sun had set, so he turned on a lamp on the end table and pulled her into his arms, he just wanted to hold onto her.

“Did class go OK with Merle and Carmen?” Carol asked.

“I didn't go, but I guess it was fine until after and Merle kicked her ex-boyfriend's ass.”

“Merle's so protective of everyone. They mentioned that guy was trouble, he must have been asking for it,” Carol noted.

“Merle was even worried about you being with me,” Daryl admitted.

Carol frowned and looked up at him; he knew she was wondering why Merle would worry about that.

“I think he figured I might try to mess with you because of my past.”

“It's OK, Daryl. I know you aren't messing with me.”

“Good, I just want you to know I'm not trying to rush you into sleeping with me, that's not why I did all this. I just wanted you to know how much I missed you. It was only a week, but it felt a lot longer.”

“I missed you too, and that's not what I was thinking.”

“I'm glad. I can wait as long as you need, I don't care how long it takes. I need you to know that.”

Carol sat up straight and looked at him.

“What if I don't want to wait anymore?”

He didn't say anything, he just moved closer and kissed her.

She thought about it long and hard while she was away and saw no reason to wait. If it was too much or she changed her mind, she knew he'd be OK with it. He understood her, and she knew that it could stop at any time and he wouldn't judge her. They kissed for a long time, stopping occasionally to look at each other's face.

Daryl didn't want her here; he wanted her in his bed.

 

He stood up, and she moved with him, neither of them backing away.

His tongue slipped into her mouth, and the kiss deepened as he backs her into his room. He took a hand from her back and pushed the door open, leading her in. She pulled him to the bed and sat down on the edge, looking up at him.

Daryl set his hands on her shoulders for a beat and took a deep breath trying to gain control. This is where sex for him usually when fast and furious, but this was not something he wanted to rush.

He undid the buttons of his shirt and slid it off his shoulders.

“You tell me if you change your mind, promise me.”

“I promise,” she said, softly.

She back up onto the middle of his bed and he crawled over her. It was dark in his room, and he saw no reason for bright lights, the one in the hall left enough light to navigate. Sex could be whatever they wanted. It didn't have to be a wild and crazy or anything else, it was just the two of them, and it was nobody else's business.

She lay her warm hands on his chest, and he sank down between her legs and kissed her slow and easy, taking his sweet time. He used a similar move to Merle and took her leg behind the knee and pulled it up along the side of his waist.

He felt her moan softly against his lips and he knew it couldn't ever be this way with anyone else.

Kissing a hot trail from her ear to the space between her breasts, he was on a mission. He wanted to find every single sweet spot and focus only on her.

There were memories he wanted to permanently erase from her mind. He wanted her to think only of pleasure when she thought of sex from this day forward.

He pulled her shirt up and lay his mouth on her skin tasting her and holding her close to his face. It was sleepy, and she ran her fingers through his hair and sighed into his pillow. He knew she felt good and he just wanted to give her more and more. He took her hands to sit her up and pulled her shirt over her head and took off her bra. It all happened slow enough for her to say no but he had a strong feeling she didn't want to stop. She climbed onto his lap in the middle of the bed, and he bit lightly at her throat as she moved her hips in a dreamy rhythm.

Daryl lay his hands on her ass and pulled her closer till her full weight was resting on his desperate cock.

He squeezed both handfuls of her ass and licked her nipples taking them each into his hot mouth, first one and then the other.

“Mmmm.....Daryl....” she whispered.

“Yeah?” he checked in.

“Nothing....just don't stop please....”

“You got it.”

He felt so good between her legs, and the way he rocked her on his lap made her feel faint with lust. This wasn't sex; this was making love.

He lifted her up in his arms and lay her down on the bed, he wanted to take it further, and he wanted her naked so bad.

Soon her pants were being pulled down her legs and then tossed on the floor. Daryl pressed his face to the front of her panties and breathed in the sweet smell of her body.

She was writhing on the bed, and he loved it. This is how a woman should look when she wants to make love, not tense and hesitant.

“Take off your clothes, Daryl. I want to see you.”

He got off the bed and unbuckled his belt a little slow and looked up through his hair to catch her expression.

“Are you trying to make me crazy?” she asked after it took longer than it should have.

“Yes?” he grinned.

She sat up in just her panties and crawled toward him. She undid his pants and pushed them down his legs, and he stepped out of them.

“Come here to me,” she pleaded, and he lay over her again, kissing her hard and feverishly.

He moved his body between her legs, and the barrier of their underwear was painful but such a good tease.

She could feel his dick, hard and needy against the wet crotch of her panties and she whined for it.

He slid his hand between their bodies to see that she was wet and was not disappointed.

“Damn....” he muttered as he lowered his attention south of her waist.

He shimmied her panties down her hips and discarded them over the edge of the bed.

“You still good?” he asked.

“Yes.....but I need more....”

He smirked and kissed her inner thigh with his hungry open mouth. She had no problem letting him close, in fact, he couldn't get close enough until he was inside her. She felt his lips come into contact with hers and she groaned, pulling his head closer to her body.

He licked and teased and pushed his fingers slowly inside her. One of her feet came up to rest on his upper back, and he held it there with his strong hand on the back of her thigh.

His head began to move slowly in a nodding motion tasting her and dragging her to the rooftop to push her off and see if she could fly, he knew she could.

She started to lose it and give in when he reached a hand up and played with her breasts as he worked his mouth on her.

“Jesus.... Daryl...”

He replied with a long and deep, “Mmmmmm.”

This resulted in just what he wanted, her falling completely apart.

She whined and took the back of his head in her hand and rolled her body into his mouth.

This is what all the girls at work were talking about, and now she had it too, a man she adored to please her and spend her time with. Carol felt so much for him it scared her.

She caught her breath for a moment and then she knew just how the rest would play out.

“You have a condom, right?” she asked.

“Yeah, just a second.”

He got up and grabbed one out of his sock drawer, and she held out her hand.

“Not yet....just a minute. Lay down for me,” she instructed. There were things she had read about or seen on the videos from Andrea lately that she wanted to try with him, different ways to please him.

Daryl was good at following orders, so he lay down, and in no time she was licking up and down his hard dick and then moving her wet mouth over his nipples. She moved from sucking his dick to teasing her own nipples over the head of his dick as he watched and it made him groan with need. He'd been half-hard for her since she left and very soon he couldn't take a single second more and begged her to stop.

“Carol, I'm gonna cum! You gotta stop this....”

She grinned and tossed him the condom, and he had it on in a heartbeat. The anticipation was only seconds, but still, so long it hurt.

“How do you want it?” he asked.

She didn't answer, she just brought her leg over his waist and slid her wetness over him.

He hissed and held onto her hips tight. She didn't hold out long, she needed it too bad, and she had never been on top before. She could feel him right where she wanted him and, slow like molasses in the cold; she pushed down on him. The look on his face faded into bliss, and he growled loudly.

“Fuuuuuuck!”

She assumed this was a good sign and she continued to move her hips in a steady rhythm, taking him in and letting him out a little.

She grinned as he reached for her breasts and took her right nipple in his mouth while also grabbing for her ass. He looked overwhelmed by it all, and she loved it.

She moved a little faster, and his face changed again to a tense expression that told her he was trying not to cum.

She rolled slowly onto her back, and he moved with her, never slipping out.

Daryl trusted that she was good with it now and he wanted her to keep feeling good. He thrust smooth and steady, desperately not wanting to hurt her and she must have picked up on it.

“It's OK, Daryl. You can move....I'm OK.”

He kissed her forehead and neck and lips, holding her head in the crook of his big arm.

“Fuck....” he uttered, starting to crack.

She brought her legs up onto his hips and arched her back, taking him in even deeper. He let himself cum then, and she could feel his body tense up and then gradually relax as he repeated her name over and over into her neck.

She got it now, this is what Andrea and Merle had, and now she did too. This was good sex, not being held face down on a bed.

This was making love, at least it was for her. Now that he was laying next to her and not speaking she wanted to know what it was for him. She felt so many things at once that it was a little too much. Daryl pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.

He wiggled around to get the blanket over the both of them and sighed heavily but still didn't say a word.

After a few minutes, she was almost positive that he was sleeping. There was no way she could sleep, so she lay listening to the sound of him breathing and his heart beating against her ear.

“Carol?”

She jumped out of her skin; she had been sure he was out of it.

“You scared me! yeah?”

“I love you.”

Carol closed her eyes and took in his words; she could hardly get her mind around it. She rose up on her elbow and looked down at him. He looked a little scared, but she moved in and kissed his lips softly.

“I love you too.”

He smiled and pulled her back into his arms.

“So, are we still doing this class then?” he asked.

“I'll still go if you don't want to come. I like learning about this stuff; it helps me.”

“No, I wanna go too. I wanna show all these shy people how it's done,” he laughed.

“Yeah?” she grinned.

“Oh yeah! You're mine now, and I want to show it off.”

“You really are goofy in the head,” she sighed.

“You must like it though,” he countered.

“Yes, I do.”

 

 

 


	16. Chapter 16

**^Lesson Sixteen**

In the morning Daryl had no idea what the protocol was, a woman never stayed until morning before. He was awake first, so he crept into the kitchen to start the coffee and make her something to eat. He didn't know what she wanted, so he brought her cereal, toast, yogurt, coffee, and juice.

“Wow! Do you usually eat this much for breakfast?” she grinned.

“I didn't know what you liked,” he answered.

“Come here and eat with me, there's more than enough for two,” she smiled, patting the bed.

When she noticed a picture of Merle as a teenager on his wall and noted how they used to look a little alike, he decided to find more for her to see.

He pulled out all his photo albums and figured it would keep her there for longer, he was feeling clingy, and it was a new sensation. He liked her being in his house; he liked it so much it scared him a little.

Later that morning she sat on his couch, looking at pictures, as he washed up the supper dishes. She wanted to help, but he refused her offer twice. When she'd ask a question about something, he'd go into the living room to explain where a picture was taken or which one of them it was.

They had both been cute blonde boys, and in old, faded photos it was a little hard to tell them apart.

Carol loved seeing all the baby pictures of Merle and Daryl; she loved baby pictures in general. She liked that he wasn't shy about letting her see them, even the awkward looking adolescent pictures.

Eventually, she saw them all, and it got to be time to leave. The moment her car pulled out of his driveway his house looked so dim. He ended up at Merle and Andrea's place shortly after to question Merle about it all.

##########################

“It's fucking terrifying, Merle.”

“You'll get used to it,” Merle laughed, knowing exactly what he was going through. Andrea had come along and done the same thing to him.

“My house is just so damned quiet now, and when I'm not calling her, I'm emailing her or texting her or thinking about her. I'm pretty sure I'm stalking my own girlfriend.”

Merle chuckled at this.

“Relax, it only feels like you're losing your mind.”

“It really does. I showed her all our baby pictures,” Daryl said, sounding confused by the statement himself.

“Why?” Merle asked.

“Looking at 4 albums worth of pictures takes time, and I wanted her to hang out with me longer.”

“This is too funny. Mr. 'Why are you so hung up on her?' is in love.”

“Yeah, I even told her that.”

“Go for it, man, but only if you mean it. Carol is my friend, and nobody messes with my friends.”

“Got it,” Daryl said, rolling his eyes. “Hey, you gotta explain some of this stuff for class to me.”

Merle wandered to the fridge for another beer and something to eat.

“Sure, what is it?”

“Some of this isn't even in English, I swear. I must have missed it in high school biology, but last I checked women don't have a _yoni_. What the fuck is that?”

Merle looked at him around the kitchen wall.

“Andrea's got you doing that?” he grinned.

“Looks like it, but this is all that 'new age' crap. She gave me some stuff to read, but I didn't get around to it yet. It's foreign to me, man. I just do normal stuff in bed.”

Merle grabbed a beer for Daryl and sat down on the couch.

“This is like handing you the keys to the whole world so just shut up and listen, OK?”

“Huh?”

“Just listen. Here's what you do....”

 

#####################

Carol went about her day but didn't get much done. She talked to Andrea and told her everything that happened; she felt a lot more open to talk to her now.

“I kinda want to do the classes even more now. I want to know all there is to know.”

“You gotta tell me,” Andrea began. “What's Daryl like in bed?”

“He's....slow and gentle. I don't have much to compare it to but the things that man can to with his mouth and hands....good lord!”

“That good, huh? That sounds like Merle; it must run in the family,” Andrea winked.

“Actually that reminds me, I have to tell you something. Before you go lending that flash drive to any students, it has you and Merle on it.”

“Oh, really?” she said, looking busted.

“Yeah, just so ya know.”

“I need to stop letting Merle touch the computer. He has no idea how to transfer video files, sorry.”

“No problem....it was kinda hot.”

“You watched it? You little freak!” Andrea laughed, she really didn't care though, that was the intention anyway. Andrea was dying of curiosity to know if she'd watch it, so she found the tamest video of them and 'accidentally' added it.

“It was....beautiful, actually,” Carol mused.

This caught Andrea off guard.

“Really?”

“Really, I love the two of you, and there really wasn't anything that dirty about it. It just made me want that with Daryl....now I have it.”

“You deserve it, Carol. I hope you are both so happy together; I have very good feeling you will be.”

Just then there was a knock at the door, and Andrea looked surprised, she wasn't expecting anyone.

“Hey, Carmen. Come in,” Andrea said, backing up.

“Andrea, I have big news! Huge news!”

“What is it?”

“Hi, Carol,” Carmen said, coming in and sitting down on the couch.

“I quit my job, and I found a new one.”

“That's amazing! Doing what?”

“It's just telemarketing, but I have a roommate now so I can handle the drop in income. I don't even care what I'm doing; I just realized I couldn't do something that makes me so miserable anymore.”

“I'm so happy for you, honey!” Andrea squealed hugging her tight. “Does Merle know?”

“No, I wanted to tell you first. Can we go out and celebrate tonight?”

“Definitely.”

“Please come along, Carol, and bring your boyfriend.”

Carol felt so happy for her. She was more than happy to celebrate her freedom from the porn industry.

“We'll be there, Carmen. Congratulations!”

“Thanks, babe.”

 

#####################

 

Carol didn't know the club Carmen suggested, and none of them had ever been but her. It was downtown in a neighborhood she didn't usually frequent.

She didn't know what to wear, so she settled on somewhere between casual and dressed up, just in case the place was one or the other. She turned on the music full-tilt and sang along as she did her makeup and hair and by 8pm Daryl was knocking on her door. He looked perfect, and she couldn't take her eyes off him.

“You sure shine up good!” she exclaimed.

He had on dark jeans and a gray dress shirt with a leather jacket.

“Thanks, you look beautiful. You ready? I don't even know where this place is,” he said, looking at the map on his phone.

“I know where it is; I'll drive.”

“Cool.”

Carol circled the club a few times before finally locating a spot. It was a tiny one, but she parallel parked her little car in the spot like a glove, impressing Daryl.

“I still can't do that,” he laughed.

“I'll teach you if you want,” she suggested.

“Merle's tried a hundred times; I think he's given up on me.”

“I could teach you in 10 minutes,” she insisted.

“I'll believe that when I see it.”

“You're on. Next time we're out, I'll teach you.”

The club looked small, loud and full of younger people that were more like Carmen's crowd.

“I feel too old to be here,” Carol commented, waiting in the line.

“You and me both. I sure don't miss the bar scene,” Daryl sighed.

“I never did the bar thing, but it looks exhausting.”

“It really is, and it's also a huge waste of time. I'm really glad it's all in my past now,” he said, linking his fingers with hers as they waited.

Just then Carmen popped her head out the door and waved them in.

“Charlie, they're with me. Come in guys!”

Daryl and Carol moved passed a big man standing at the door and were inundated with loud music, smoke, and flashing lights.

“I'm so glad you came!” she hollered, hugging them both.

“No problem,” Daryl hollered back. “Where's Merle and Andrea?”

“Over here!”

She led them to a booth in the back where Merle looked out of place and a little sullen.

“I'll get you all some drinks,” Carmen hollered over the music.

“Just cranberry and soda for me, please?” Andrea requested.

They all exchanged knowing looks that they were completely out of place but were here to celebrate for Carmen so they'd suck it up for her sake.

“What the hell kinda place is this?” Merle groaned.

“You'll survive one night, babe,” Andrea laughed.

Every other woman was exposing their stomachs, and most of their legs and Carol felt overdressed and very old, but she was only 30. Most of the girls here looked underage and wild as they come. Carol didn't judge women dressing how they wanted to; she just didn't feel like she fit in.

Carmen returned to the table with a tray of shooters, Andrea's drink, and a huge smile.

“Thanks so much for coming, you guys! I just had to celebrate tonight, and it means so much to me that you came.”

She looked like she was going to start bawling so Carol reached out and took her hand.

“I don't really have any real friends and you guys....OK, I have to stop, but you know what I mean, right?”

“Yes!” Merle hollered. “Now sit, before you start blubbering, girl!”

She laughed and pushed him from across the table.

Even though nobody felt right in the club, she chose they had the best time they could and tried to chat over the music. Merle and Andrea wandered around and sat over at the bar for a while, and Carmen danced. Carol and Daryl stayed sat at the booth and talked.

“She sure looks happy,” he commented.

“She's really sweet. She's wanted out of that kind of work for a long time Andrea said.”

“I don't blame her,” Daryl nodded. “Merle says she's going on a blind date with our friend Bob this week.”

“That's good; she needs a decent man for once.”

“Definitely,” Daryl agreed.

Carol had finished more drinks than she planned to and knew they'd be cabbing it home.

“I'll be right back,” she said, grabbing her purse and sliding out of the booth.

“Where you going?”

She grinned and looked down at him, “The bathroom.”

“Ah, OK,” he said, shaking his head.

He didn't want to lose track of her in here; he'd never find her again. She had only been gone for a few moments when he heard a voice from the past, not one he wanted to hear though. An icy chill ran up Daryl's spine, his old life and new life were about to collide head on.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	17. Chapter 17

**^Lesson Seventeen**

Daryl felt a hot panic as his old life, and new life closed in on him simultaneously, he had to protect one from the other.

Carmen and Carol both arrived back at the table, and he smiled up at Carol nervously.

The voice he dreaded came closer and before he could make a plan the voice started calling for Carmen.

“Hey, Girl! I haven't seen you here in ages!”

The voice came from behind him, and his eyes shot over to Carol like a criminal caught red-handed.

“Cindy! Hey, how's it going?” Carmen replied to the woman in the short black skirt, heels and tight red top. Her huge breasts were damn near falling out of her shirt and Daryl winced at the sight of an ex one-night stand.

_It was two years ago, and we were both drunk as skunks, maybe she won't even remember me.....but I remember her..._

Cindy came and sat right next to him, and already he could see something in Carol's eyes. She knew something was up. He tried to indicate to her that they should get up and leave the table but then it happened.

“Daryl? Oh my god! Daryl that is you!”

The woman grabbed him and tried to pull him close as he held out his hands and backed up. This was bad, really bad.

“Don't you remember me? I know we were drunk, but it was a hell of a good time, wasn't it?” she purred.

She was obviously drunk right now, but the damage was done.

“Cindy, shut your fool mouth!” Carmen hollered, “Daryl's here with his girlfriend!”

Carol was lost. This woman with the big hair, huge tits, tight clothes and forward attitude is the kind of woman Daryl was used to, and she couldn't help staring. It didn't make sense to her why they were together; she was nothing like this woman.

She felt like the kind of woman he had to tiptoe around and wait for her to work out her issues. This woman didn't look like she had any issues with sexuality, she looked confident and experimental. Maybe it wasn't fair to assume, but to Carol, she looked like she had enough experience to be a whole lot of fun in bed.

Daryl didn't look happy to see this woman, only known as 'Cindy,' and when the woman looked over at her, she could see the dismay in her eyes.

“That's your girlfriend?” Cindy asked like it was the craziest thing she ever heard.

Carol got up then and left the table; she needed air.

“I'm so sorry, Daryl. Go after her,” Carmen told him. “I'll deal with drunky smurf here.”

Daryl got up and started looking through the crowd for Carol but the place was hopping, and with everyone dancing and talking in large groups he couldn't find her.

 

Carol walked out the back door of the club and breathed in the much needed fresh air. She tried to imagine what sex with a woman like that must be like and then thought of the sex they had. How was he not bored to tears? This Cindy woman with her fancy makeup and tight clothes and curvy figure and her standing there in her plain clothes and subtle makeup, it just didn't make sense. Carol felt like she had come so far, but she'd never be like that woman. She wondered if he ever expected her to be anything like Cindy. Her mind raced with doubt and a hundred different fleeting thoughts, some were reasonable but most were ridiculous, and she knew it.

She looked up at the sky and then around her at the garbage bins. She was stood in a dark, disgusting alley feeling inadequate but she couldn't just stay there all night. She looked down at her simple black heels and jeans and wondered what he saw when he looked at her, was he just looking for the opposite of Cindy?

She took a few slow breaths and walked back into the noise and lights and bumped into Carmen first.

“She's gone, honey. I'm so sorry about that; I had no idea they'd known each other,” Carmen said, reaching for her arm.

“It's alright; it's not your fault.”

“He's looking for you. Just forget about that idiot.”

“Carmen, I...”

“What is it?” Carmen asked, pulling her into a quieter corner.

“That's the kind of woman he used to be with?” Carol asked rhetorically, starting to lose her cool now that she was saying it out loud.

“So? He wants you now,” Carmen answered, looking confused.

“Yeah, but why?”

“Cause he loves you.”

“Did he tell you that?”

“He doesn't have to, I can see it. Go find him; he's looking for you,” Carmen insisted.

Carol started walking around the club and ran into Merle and Andrea who knew nothing about what happened, and she didn't feel like explaining it through all the racket. She walked around the bar 4 times before finally seeing him through a crowd. He pushed his way to her, through the horde of party animals.

“I'm sorry!” he shouted, over the noise.

She couldn't say anything, and she was fighting back tears.

“I need to get out of here!” she finally hollered back, turning for the door.

He followed her out onto the street where her ears were still ringing from the music.

“Carol, I'm so sorry about that...I feel really ashamed right now,” he said, shaking his head and then turning away from her.

“Don't be sorry....I mean, if that's what you like....”

She didn't really know what to say, and it was already coming out wrong.

“I don't though. That never made me happy; I was just a fucking coward.”

He paced back and forth but couldn't look at her.

“I just don't understand. It must be so different being with someone like her. Being with me must be so-”

A group of men walked out of the club then, drunk and loud and Carol stopped dead in mid-sentence and looked at the ground. When the men got far enough down the road for them to speak again, she continued.

“It must have been boring for you,” she shrugged.

“No. Don't you ever say that!” he said, coming close and holding her shoulders in his shaking hands. “Being with you is the only time it was ever good. It was the only time I ever felt anything inside. Don't ever think for a second that it wasn't everything to me.”

“But....I'm just...” she couldn't finish the sentence cause there was no ending to it. She had no idea what to say.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hair.

“Can I take you back to my place? We need to talk.”

She nodded, and he called a cab. There was so much he had to put right but not in the middle of the road.

She fidgeted in the cab all the way back to his house. When they got there, Daryl paid the driver and walked her through the front door.

“Lemme get you a drink, I still have your gin here.”

She nodded and sat on the couch, waiting for him. He came back in and handed her the drink before sitting next to her.

“I was a bad person, Carol. Remember when I told you about my past? I was that guy who slept with a bunch of different women, and it didn't mean anything to me.”

“I don't think you were a bad person at all, Daryl. But you must have gotten something out of it.”

“I got off, and it was probably an ego thing too...but before you, I had no idea how it was supposed to feel. Even just holding your hands that first time in class and then the way you almost fell asleep in my arms the next time. The way you trusted me to touch you when...when you came. You're the first person I ever made love to, Carol.”

Just looking into his eyes, she was no longer in any doubt, but it was still nice to hear all of this. He looked so sad and ashamed, and she couldn't let that stand, she loved him.

“You aren't a bad person. I wasn't judging you; I just felt inadequate next to someone like her.”

“That's ridiculous. You're so much more beautiful than her or any other woman I've ever been with.”

“Stop it,” she grinned.

“I mean it,” he pressed, coming in close to kiss her neck. She wrapped her arms around him and just like that it felt as right as it ever had.

“Well?”

“Well, what?” she asked.

“Aren't you gonna tell me how pretty I am?”

“You're very pretty, Daryl,” she grinned.

He took her drink, set it on the table and kissed her deep and slow.

“If I promise to take you to get your car from that shitty bar tomorrow, will you stay with me tonight?”

“I'll stay,” she said, kissing him softly.

He pulled her eagerly to his bedroom and asked if she wanted to have a hot shower before bed.

“Sounds good,” she said.

“You know, next class I have a real surprise in store for you,” he said, pulling her shirt over her head.

“I thought it was just some kind of massage.”

“It is but it's a hell of a massage,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

She frowned at him in confusion.

“OK, now you have to tell me.”

“Don't you trust me?” he said, in mock defensiveness.

She hesitated but then insisted he tell her anyway.

She watched as he got undressed and took her clothes off too, she waited, but he wasn't speaking.

“Well? Tell me!”

He grinned, pulled her into the hot shower and told her all about the yoni massage she had coming.

“Jesus!” she exclaimed.

“Apparently Merle and Carmen do it all the time, and you get to do the shy version with a robe on for most of it,” he laughed.

“Actually....why not? I'm fine with it.”

“Really? Aren't you a little devil,” he said, pressing her to the wall of the shower.

“Like you said, we'll show them how it's done.”

“That's right,” he agreed.

 

 


	18. Chapter 18

 

 **^Lesson Eighteen**  
  
Carol sank into a hot bath on that Thursday afternoon and relaxed deeply. She left work after a meeting ended earlier than expected. Coming home in time to get ready was especially nice, work had been nuts lately.  
  
The class was a family now, as much as strangers could be. Sharing all their fears and insecurities had a way of bonding them together. Carol knew that they were all scared of this and that she was as well, not long ago. She was about to do something incredibly intimate in front of them, and all she hoped is that they'd get it into their heads that they could do it too. When you find the person you can trust, then any level of intimacy you want for yourself is possible.

 

Merle was right, her body was essentially no different than any other woman's body, and all women's bodies are beautiful.

She wasn't scared at all this Thursday; she was excited. It felt like an awakening, on top of all the love she felt for Daryl there was a constant burning desire.  
  
She got out of the tub when her fingers became macerated and rubbed lotion all over her skin, the lavender stuff she liked the best.  
  
Daryl was supposed to be there within the hour. He had a key now so he could just come in when he arrived.  
  
She tossed the silk robe into her bag and threw on her jeans and a simple tank top.  
  
Her mother called her the day before to harass her more about Daryl, and she decided to come clean.  
  
“We're taking one of Andrea's classes together, Mom. We love each other.”  
  
“Don't be ridiculous. That's not love, Carol.”  
  
“You're wrong; it is love. What I had with Ed wasn't love. You don't have to be OK with it, but I'm tired of lying. I hope you'll decide to be happy for me, but it's up to you. I told you I don't want your criticism and I meant it, call back when you have something nice to say.”  
  
  
She felt better about it if her mother was never comfortable with her new found sexual freedom that was OK. She was the one who had to live her life in the end, and she didn't plan to miss out anymore.  
  
“Hello?” Daryl called from the door.  
  
“In here!” she yelled from her room. She was making a playlist on her phone and finishing her coffee.  
  
“Hey, you ready?” he asked, licking his lips.  
  
“Yeah, you?” she laughed.  
  
“Oh yeah! But Carmen and Merle are supposed to be there tonight. Is that OK with you?”  
  
“Yeah, it's fine with me. I have nothing to hide,” she winked, kissing him and letting her hand slid down the back of his jeans. He had a very nice ass; it was the subject of much thought in the middle of a workday. Loving someone she also wanted so badly was all encompassing but it felt great.  
  
“Frisky are we? You just watch out, I've been doing my studying on this one, and I'm gonna show all my work,” he growled and lay her down on the bed.  
  
She grinned and just enjoyed the sensation of his facial hair on her neck as he kissed her and ran his hand down her thigh.  
  
“Babe, we don't have time....we'll be late....”  
  
He sighed heavily, and they eventually made their way out the door.  
  
  
########################  
  
“We are getting closer to the end of these classes and from the feedback I've received everyone is feeling more at ease in their own way. This is very exciting for me to hear and, as I said, there is no _one_ goal. You decide how much progress is good for you, that is your own success. Baby steps are still steps, and I'm proud of everyone for having such open minds and hearts to this process. Our demo couple has come along in leaps and bounds since starting this class, especially since they're a couple now, and they're going to show us one last demonstration that is another one-sided act.”  
  
Daryl looked over at Merle who nodded with a cocky chuckle like he didn't think Daryl could pull it off.  
  
Daryl smirked to himself cause he knew what he was capable of and what he and Carol had together.  
  
Carol walked out of the restroom in the silk robe, and Andrea turned the lights down to dimness instead of clinical brightness.  
  
The mats on the floor had soft, fleece blankets thrown on top and Carol knelt down and kissed him a few times before doing anything else; this was their show.  
  
“This is a taste of what is covered in my other classes and when or if you join me again we will be covering more of this type of touch. The yoni massage is focused only on the woman, and you've all read about this I presume from the information I handed out. Giving to your partner with no expectation in return is a very romantic and selfless thing to do. If you are the man in the relationship and also the shy one, doing something special for your partner like this can bring you very close. Seeing how they are willing to be exposed to you can sometimes show you that it's safe and that you can trust them as they have trusted you.”  
  
Daryl looked at Carol as she lay back and rolled her eyes, Andrea talked a lot, but that was the idea she guessed.  
  
Finally, there was quiet, and he covered his hands in oil and started at her ankle, using two hands to move his way up her right leg.  
  
The robe was knee length, and she had black panties underneath but no bra. She was eagerly awaiting more of his touch and didn't care who was watching.

 

Carol closed her eyes, and it was only her and Daryl, alone in a meadow with wild flowers all around her and the blue sky overhead.  
  
Carol was proud of what they shared already. Daryl had been reading books and hinting all week that he was excited for tonight.  
  
His hands moved up one leg and then the other slow and smooth, and she could already feel herself reacting. She looked over her right shoulder at Merle and Carmen who, for once, were on the other side of this event. They both looked highly interested.  
  
Daryl moved over top of her and pulled the tie around the waist of her robe and opened it up. He looked down at her, and all he wanted to was start making love to her, but they had an audience and a job to do.  
  
He used more oil and rubbed his warm hands over her shoulders and arms, taking a moment to run his thumbs over the palms of her hands. She closed her eyes again and just let herself feel it. He knew just what he was doing; the man had studied.  
  
“This kind of touch is one sided and completely about her. He is only focused on her pleasure and enjoyment. If your partner is not shy, but you are, you can still offer them this while only taking back from them what you are comfortable with. Not all sexual engagement has to be 50/50.”  
  
He drifted his fingertips slowly over her breasts, and she hissed and bit her bottom lip. She was shining in the dim light, and all eyes were on the skin of the woman he loved, but he wasn't jealous at all, just proud to be with her. Her eyes were still closed, and she lay there still and focused with her knees still pressed together. He ran his slick hands down her belly over and over until he knew she could feel it building and then one foot drifted apart from the other. He continued the motion down the sides of her body over her ribs all the way to her hips.

 

“More....” she whispered.  
  
He grinned, knowing she was getting deeper into it.

 

“I'll give you more alright,” Daryl growled.  
  
Carmen looked over at Merle, and he was expressionless.  
  
“They aren't bad at all,” she whispered.  
  
“We'll be out of work,” he whispered back.  
  
“Yeah, maybe,” she chuckled quietly.  
  
Carol couldn't help moving her legs apart wanting more of his touch; she could feel her body getting tight with need already. She thought of her dream and the breeze blowing over her skin as he drew her closer to heaven, one touch at a time...  
  
“Alright, Daryl. I think she's suffered enough,” Andrea urged him on.  
“This is all included in the material I handed out, so it's not the kind of thing I want to talk through but just note that there is nothing rushed about it and normally, outside of the time constraints of the class, this takes sometimes hours.”

  
  
Carol breathed a sigh of relief as he finally slid her panties down her legs and tossed them over his shoulder. She kept her eyes on his as she let her legs fall open slowly.  
  
He grinned and moved his slippery hands up her thighs toward her pussy but not quite there.

“Baby, please....” she whimpered, and he almost died right there.

  
She knew Merle and Carmen were still sitting over her right shoulder and she didn't even mind them watching this. She didn't think any less of Merle after seeing him naked, this all felt normal in the safe space.  
  
This was a place of higher sexual learning.  
  
Daryl leaned forward between her legs and lay his hands on her chest and moved them slowly down her body right down below her belly button.  
  
She began to squirm after only a moment; it felt as if all the blood in her body was flooding her pelvis now.  
  
A pulse was beating in her pelvic floor, and he hadn't touched her anywhere really intimate yet. He repeated the motion over and over teasing his strong hands down her body coming inches closer every time to the source of her heat.  
  
Daryl felt like he had the entire universe in the palm of his hand. He could give her what she wanted at any moment; it would be so easy....she was so close.  
  
“Alright, Daryl....” Andrea urged, breathlessly.  
  
From the sound of her voice, it was even getting to her a little.  
  
You could hear a pin drop in the dead silent studio.  
  
Finally, he trailed his oily fingers down between her legs and her back arched off the blanket. Carol's head pushed back into the pillow; it was beyond her control. She needed only just a little more to get there. He then moved his hands down her shiny legs to the inside of her knees where he slid them further apart. Carol was breathing slow but deep. She raised her arms to lay over her head; she surrendered completely to him because she knew she could.  
  
Daryl's heart beat hard and rapid in his chest with all eyes on him and then he moved his fingertips ever so gently in those dizzying circles around her clit. His dick was throbbing, but all he could think of was her release.

 

Carol whined, and her body writhed on the blanket unconsciously, she was a woman possessed. He grinned and let up the pressure just enough to make her beg for more.

 

“Like that?” he inquired.

 

“Put me out of my misery....please....” she uttered in a hushed and weakened voice.  
  
He pushed two of his fingers deep inside her and curled them up toward her belly gently. His other hand continued with the circles on either side of her clit, and that's when it happened.  
  
“Mmmmm........fuck.....Daryl.....mmmm!”  
  
He felt her wet pussy pulse around his fingers as they moved slowly in and out of her. Her legs were pushed wide apart, and her palms were pressed to her eyes as she moaned his name.  
  
How could she ever think he'd be bored?  
  
When her body finally went limp, he eased off and backed up. She looked like she was completely out of it.  
  
Daryl dropped his head to his chest, catching his own breath as she slowly pulled the robe closed around her.  
  
He waited till she opened her eyes and then reach for her hands to help her up. When she did get standing the class clapped slowly, and she shook her head and curtsied to them before heading off to the bathroom. Her entire body was slick with coconut oil, and she could use a bit of a wash.  
  
Daryl followed her as Andrea continued with the class. It was awkward as fuck walking passed a bunch of people with his hard dick aching in his pants but he caught up to her.  
  
“Jesus!” Carol exclaimed, pulling him down the short hall to the bathroom.  
  
“I know.....fuck that was hot....” he groaned, pulling her close and letting his hands creep under the robe.  
  
“Take me...” she pleaded.  
  
“Can't....no condom...”  
  
“Just pull out,” she whined, sliding her hands underneath his shirt.

He hesitated just a moment until she untied her robe and let it fall to the floor. Her slippery, wet body was not something he was prepared to say no to or her eyes.  
  
Daryl lifted her onto the bathroom counter, and she slid to the edge. He fought with the buckle on his belt as she kissed his neck and when his dick was finally free she pulled him into her desperately.

 

“God damn it...” he moaned and pulled her even closer to the edge to get deeper inside her.  
  
He kissed her face and neck frantically, arms wrapped tightly around her, thrusting hard.  
  
“You alright?” he panted, fucking and panting as he tried to pull her slippery body closer to his.  
  
“Oh god yes!” she insisted.

Class was over for five minutes before they emerged. It had taken quite a while to get all the oil off her skin. Daryl wondered if everyone had heard them but really didn't care. What did they expect? He was only human after all.  
  
  
Merle, Andrea, and Carmen were all chatting in the main area when they walked out.  
  
“Finally! You two OK?” Andrea laughed.  
  
“Never better,” Daryl answered.

 


	19. Chapter 19

**^Lesson Nineteen**

"Do you think we could have just met some other way without these classes?"

Daryl was laying in the dark in her bedroom, playing absentmindedly with her fingers. She looked over at his naked form in her bed and smiled. He'd been asking her funny little questions like this lately, and she didn't know how to answer half of them.

"I think it happened like it was supposed to."

He turned and looked at her, pulling her closer.

"It's almost over now," he noted.

"Yeah, last class already tomorrow."

"I don't want to leave," he said, stretching and sitting up on her bed. It was well past midnight again, and it was becoming a routine to be leaving each other's house late at night for work the next day. He scanned the floor for his clothes and sighed.

"I wish you could stay too," she concurred.

They had been spending a majority of their time back and forth at each other's houses now since the night they first made love; they just didn't want to be apart.

Daryl knew it was much too soon to ask, but all she could say was no so what could it hurt?

"Carol?"

"Yeah?"

He lay back down and snuggled into her arms.

"We've only been together for...what, 7 weeks or so?"

"Something like that," she yawned.

"But, we're together so much and maybe...I was thinking you could come live at my house with me. What do you think?"

He waited, and for a while, she didn't say anything.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, maybe instead-" she began.

"Oh...too fast, right?" he jumped in, cutting her off before she could let him down easy.

"No, but Merle told me you rent your house, and I own mine...so you should come live with me."

He grinned and rolled over her.

"You mean it?" he asked, kissing her face and neck.

"Definitely," she insisted.

#########################

"Hey, Merle. Is she almost ready?"

"Almost, have a seat. What's this I hear about you getting a new pet?"

"Huh? Not me, I'm allergic to almost everything," Carol shrugged.

"I heard the one you're getting is about 5 foot 9 and constantly putting the milk back in the fridge empty and leaving his socks on the bathroom floor."

"Ah! I get it now. Yeah, well I love him so why not?" she laughed.

"Still can't get my head all the way around it but I'm happy for you," Merle insisted.

"I'm thinking you and Andrea should start a dating service. Carmen called me raving about your friend Bob."

"He's a decent guy. He won't mess her around at all," Merle noted. "I'm sick of men screwing with her."

"You're a good man, Merle."

"It's a curse. I gotta sit around this place worrying about Andrea and you and Daryl and Carmen. It's exhausting," he sighed.

"That's what you get for being awesome, Papa Bear," Carol teased.

"Damn it! She told you already? I thought we were going to do that together!" Merle complained.

"Huh? Tell me what?"

"Nothing."

Carol grinned and moved over toward him slowly.

"You guys are having a baby, aren't you?"

"No?"

"Bullshit. Someone's gonna be a daddy!" she screamed.

"Shhhh...she'll kick my ass if she finds out I told you without her!"

"Andrea! Get in here, you pregnant wench!"

Carol couldn't contain it; she was busting with excitement.

"Damn you, Merle!" Andrea whined, coming in the room.

"It's not his fault, come here!" Carol insisted, hugging her.

"So we're having a baby, and you two are moving in together, crazy hey?" Andrea laughed.

"It's awesome," Carol smiled.

"See you in a bit, babe," Andrea said, leaning down to kiss Merle goodbye.

"Pick up your vitamins," he reminded her.

"I will stop panicking," she smirked.

Andrea and Carol met Carmen for brunch to get the rundown about her and Bob. Life was in bloom everywhere all of a sudden.

######################

"Merle doesn't want to do the video stuff now that we're starting a family," Andrea said, over lunch.

"What's the plan then?" Carmen asked.

"I need to ask one of our other demo people if they can step in with you."

"Is Bob not into it?" Carol chuckled.

"Probably not, but who knows? It didn't do you and Daryl any harm, that's for sure," Carmen noted.

"I still can't believe it's the last class tonight. What do we get for graduation?" Carol joked.

"Anything you want, it was a huge success. You two were so popular with the students. They all loved Daryl being a goof and just the connection you two have."

"It was a heck of an experience, that's for sure. So, how pregnant are you anyway?"

"It's very early, only 5 weeks I think. You didn't notice I wasn't drinking at the bar?"

"No, I had some stuff going on that night," Carol noted.

"Merle is acting kind of funny now that I'm pregnant, he won't do any classes either now."

"Maybe he's just done with it?" Carmen mused.

"I think so. He says he only ever wants to be with me now. I didn't think I wanted it that way until he brought

it up but..." Andrea faded off into silence, and Carol got it completely.

"You trust him, you know he doesn't want anyone else, but you still want him to only touch you."

"Yeah. I don't want to see it now. Maybe that will change, but right now I only want him to be mine."

"There's nothing wrong with that. He is yours," Carmen insisted. "I can't believe you ever shared him in the first place."

"We've always been open to this and teaching people how to be close; it's just who we've always been."

"And now you're different as a couple; it's all good. I used to hate being touched, and now I'm comfortable with it. You used to be OK with Merle and other women, and now you aren't, you're allowed to change your mind. I learned that in your class."

Andrea smiled at her and nodded.

"It's OK, right?" Andrea asked, looking emotional.

"Of course it is, don't be so silly," Carmen giggled. "You make the rules, girl!"

"You're right. He's mine now!" Andrea grinned.

"Good for you. You can still be an amazing teacher and help people while also keeping him for yourself."

###########################

Daryl and Carol arrived at class and held hands in the back row, giggling. He still slipped her the occasional note; sometimes they were just doodles of sex positions with stick people. She loved having a man who could make her laugh. Time had flown by, and they were not the same people who walked in on the first day, they were happier.

"I've talked to a lot of you personally, I spend a lot of my day texting all of you actually," Andrea laughed. "It's been a joy getting to know you all and share this class with you. We've never done a class like this before, but we will definitely be doing it again."

Andrea spent some more time going over things and showed a final film. She answered some last questions, it was very casual as always. She was already planning a class for sex in pregnancy and couldn't help telling the whole class about her good news.

Merle was already looking all proud; it was sweet. Carol loved how life was when you were open to it. There were new experiences everywhere. Carmen had her new job and a new man in her life, she had Daryl, and they were moving in together, and Merle and Andrea were having a baby. Carol felt so alive, like a connected part of the world around her.

The class drew to a close and Daryl passed her another piece of folded paper.

_**~ love you xoxo** _

He wasn't quite as goofy as he used to be in the beginning but he still had his moments.

"I just want to thank my best friend, Carol and my brother in law Daryl for helping with this class and being so open to the process."

The class clapped, and they both nodded and smiled. They were proud of what they'd done and how much they learned together.

##################

_just one last chapter I'm posting tonight:)_

_love you all and thanks for reading. Teagan xoxoxo_


	20. Chapter 20

**^Lesson Twenty**

"Merle! We have to go!" Andrea called from the bottom of the staircase. She spent half her life waiting for him, but he was worth the wait.

"Coming!" he hollered, running down the steps.

He stopped in front of her and grinned.

"When we get home, do you wanna fuck?"

"We'll see, it's gonna be a busy day," she smirked.

"I'll make it worth your while," he growled, pulling her close and kissing her neck.

"I'm listening," she teased. It had been like a second honeymoon in the last few days; they were happy to be turning over a new leaf.

"How's about I run you a tub and then give you a full body rub down. Maybe if you're a really good girl, I'll do that thing you really like."

"You're on...I'll be a very, very, very good girl. I have to bend over your lap for spankings while I still can," she laughed, holding the door open for him.

"I'll find a way to spank you till the baby gets here," he insisted.

"Get moving, you!" she said, smacking his ass as he walked through the doorway.

#####################

They arrived at Daryl's place to help him load the truck although Merle wouldn't let Andrea lift a single thing.

"I want to help," she complained.

"You are helping. You're giving me something pretty to look at while I do it all with Daryl," Merle joked.

Carol waited in her kitchen with Carmen and Bob for the first load of Daryl's stuff. She felt an excited and anxious sensation in her stomach at the idea of having him there with her all the time.

"So how are things going with you two?" Carol asked when she noticed them giving each other cute little looks.

"Really good," Carmen began. "Bob is the nicest guy I've ever been with. I was so tired of assholes!"

Bob grinned and nodded.

"Yep, not being an asshole is my specialty."

"You know what I mean," she argued.

"Yeah, I know," he said, leaning down to kiss her.

Carol loved them together already.

It took 4 trips to get all of Daryl's belongings over to her house, and the place looked like a bomb went off by the time they were done, but she loved it.

It was later in the day before the bulk of his boxes were unpacked, everyone pitching in made it go faster though.

Carol opened a box in her bedroom and started pulling his clothes out, hanging them in her closet and putting his undershirts in her dresser drawers. It felt right, and she couldn't wait to be alone with him for the first time that night.

"Carol, we're ordering pizza! What kind do you want?"

"Mushroom!" she hollered back.

"Mushroom and what?" Daryl asked.

"Just mushroom!"

"You're one sick puppy but OK," he answered.

They ate pizza together, and Daryl picked up beer for everyone for helping them move.

Carmen gave them a bottle of wine and a house plant as a housewarming gift, and Andrea gave them their pay for helping with the class and a painting for the wall.

"Thanks so much you guys," Carol sighed with a huge smile. She was tired after a long day of blending her's and Daryl's possessions together.

Bob and Carmen left first, and then Andrea left to start the car as Carol said goodnight to Merle. The street was dark, and she held a cardigan around her shoulders.

"If he steps out of line you let me know, I'll correct him for you," he smirked.

"You got it. You're gonna be a really amazing dad, Merle," she said, looking up at him.

"I hope so. I don't really know anything about babies, but I'll figure it out, hey?"

"You'll be just fine. You know...I wanted to thank you."

"What for?" he asked.

"Encouraging me to get help. I'd be alone in this house, still afraid of love, if you hadn't. This has changed my whole life."

"What are friends for, right?" he said, rubbing her arm.

"You're the best friend I could ask for, both you and Andrea. I love you guys so much."

"Stop it; you'll get me all weepy," he smirked and hugged her tight. "Goodnight, Carol. Take care of him."

"I will. Goodnight, Papa Bear."

"Hey, cut that out!" he growled, running off to meet Andrea at the car.

When she came back inside Daryl was sitting on the couch looking wiped.

"I can't believe you let me move in," he grinned.

"Why wouldn't I? You're here all the time anyway."

"You won't get tired of me being around all the time then?"

"Never."

She sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. It was calm and quiet. The house was littered with crumpled newspaper, empty boxes and beer cans.

Daryl had a contented little smile on his face, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Should we clean up?" he asked.

"Not now, I just want to take you to bed with me."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, come on."

He followed her down the hall to the bathroom where he dug his toothbrush out of a box, and they brushed their teeth side by side.

Doing their bathroom routine together was really fun for Daryl, but he couldn't really place why, exactly. It was just nice not to be alone and also get to be with his favorite person.

"I'm gonna love living with you," he said, as he crawled into her bed.

"That's good cause you're staying now," she laughed, turning off the lamp next to the bed.

There was quiet for a good few minutes as they got used to the idea that they really shared a house now.

"Carol?"

"Yeah?"

"Does being with me help you forget about your ex a bit?" he asked.

"Completely. The future is all I think of now," she said, curling up in his arms.

"Good...that's what I really wanted."

"I've moved on now; you helped me to do that. You've given me so much just by being patient and understanding...thank you."

"No problem...I liked waiting. Waiting for you is how I learned that I wanted to be with you forever."

"Forever?" she asked with a grin across her lips in the dark.

"Yeah...forever."

_~ The End ~_


End file.
